Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many and what proportion of women affected by the change in the state pension age will be affected by the proposed reforms to pension credit.

No mixed age couples who are receiving Pension Credit and/or Housing Benefit for pensioners immediately before the implementation date will see a reduction in the amount of benefit they receive as a result of the policy change (unless their entitlement to both those benefits subsequently ends).

Under provisions enacted in the Welfare Reform Act 2012, in future, Pension Credit and Housing Benefit for pensioners will not be available to couples before both partners have reached State Pension age. These changes will take effect from 15 May 2019.

Information on the characteristics of the estimated number of future mixed age couples who may be affected by the forthcoming changes to be introduced on 15 May 2019 is not available.