New Clause 28
Pensions Bill
2:30 pm
Andrew Selous (Shadow Minister, Work & Pensions; South West Bedfordshire, Conservative)
The hon. Lady is, of course, generally right, but in our advanced scientific times, we do read the occasional story in the newspapers of such things happening. However, I take the general point that she is quite rightly making.
On the specific amounts of money, I understand that in 2006-07, carer’s allowance is £49.65 a week, which is a significant income for many pensioners; losing it would be a real blow. As the hon. Lady said, it is possible for those entitled to carer’s allowance to receive the carer’s addition in pension credit, which I think is £26.35 a week, when they become entitled to a state retirement pension. That represents a net loss of income of £26.30 a week. One would hope that that would be more than made up by the receipt of state retirement pension—although that will obviously vary from case to case—or, perhaps, by the receipt of pension credit. Will the Minister, when he responds, address what action the Government are taking to help more people take up their entitlement to the carer’s addition within pension credit?
That issue has been raised by the Select Committee, when Jim Dickson of Lancashire county council’s welfare rights service gave evidence on that point and specifically called for greater liaison between the carer’s allowance unit and the Pension Service. He also made the practical point that, in order to be entitled to the carer’s addition in pension credit, pensioners have to fill in the complete carer’s allowance form as if they were applying for that allowance, when they are obviously not entitled to it if already in receipt of state retirement pension. Perhaps a simplified form could be organised for people who are already in receipt of state retirement pension.