To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps he (a) has taken and (b) plans to take to rectify the administrative error with Proof of Life forms which led to some overseas pensioners having their State Pensions suspended.

The issues which occurred in 2022, relating to the temporary suspension of the State Pension of some customers living in Canada, was not caused by DWP and was due to reasons outside the Department’s control.

DWP is closely monitoring international postage issues with our service provider and we use this information to determine any necessary changes to the Life Certificates process. DWP is also monitoring the return of completed Life Certificates and, if we identify any particular postal issues within countries, we are allowing customers an additional 16 weeks to return their documents before any potential temporary payment suspensions may be required.

The Life Certificate (CFN698) is a form which DWP routinely issues to customers in receipt of State Pension who permanently reside in certain countries outside the UK. The form is used to verify that the customer is still eligible to receive their State Pension and it is an integral part of DWP’s strategy to ensure that all overseas State Pensions are being paid correctly.

Life Certificates are an integral part of protecting the public purse and are issued in accordance with The Social Security (Claims and Payments) Regulations 1987.