Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps he is taking to increase the take-up of Pension Credit.

Pension Credit provides vital financial support to our most vulnerable pensioners and we want all those who are eligible to claim it.

To raise awareness of Pension Credit and increase take-up, the Department launched a £1.2m nationwide communications campaign in April. The campaign included:

• Promotion of Pension Credit on social media, via internet search engines and sponsored advertising on targeted websites that pensioners, their friends and family are likely to visit;
• Information screens in Post Offices and GP surgeries across GB;
• Advertising in regional and national newspapers and on national and local broadcast radio;
• Advertising on the sides of buses, interior bus panels and digital street displays;
• Leaflets and posters in Jobcentres, as well as digital versions which could be used by stakeholders and partners across local communities;
• Engagement with Local Authorities nationwide through the Government Communication Service local network and promotional materials to enable them to support the campaign; and
• In June, we held a second Pension Credit awareness media ‘day of action’ working in close collaboration with broadcasters, newspapers and other partners such as Age UK, Independent Age and the private sector to reach out to pensioners to promote Pension Credit through their channels.
• An updated digital toolkit with information and resources that any stakeholder can use to help promote Pension Credit.