Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether the Government has plans to amend the policy that only the first £10 of the war disablement pension can be disregarded in means tests for pension credit.

The Government acknowledges the contribution ex-service personal have made and in Pension Credit the first £10 of War Disablement Pension is disregarded when calculating a person’s weekly income. Furthermore, four additions to the War Disablement Pension are completely disregarded in the Pension Credit assessment; these are Constant Attendance Allowance, Mobility Supplement, Severe Disablement Occupational Allowance and dependency increases for anyone other than the applicant or his partner. War Pensions are also considered as qualifying income for the savings credit part of Pension Credit.

Pension Credit is the income related benefit for pensioners. There are no plans to change Pension Credit to increase the current £10 War Pension disregard.