Local Pensioner Households Missing Out on Pension Credit

12.00.00am GMT Mon 14th Feb 2005

New figures released today by Jane Carr, North East Milton Keynes Liberal Democrat Prospective Parliamentary Candidate, reveal that 2,614 local pensioner households are missing out on pension credit payments. According to the Government's own figures, only 70% of people entitled to this money are currently claiming it.

Jane Carr said: "In the last few months take-up of Pension Credit has plummeted. It looks increasingly likely that the Government will miss its own target. Even if this is achieved, a fifth of pensioners will still not be getting money that is rightfully theirs. The Government's own figures would suggest that hundreds of local pensioners are not getting money to which they are entitled.

"Pensioners continue to get a bad deal from this Government. Schemes such as the Pension Credit are complex and confusing. Rather than forcing pensioners to apply for means-tested benefits, the Government should be making sure that every pensioner gets a good basic pension. That is why the Liberal Democrats will put an extra £25 a week on the state pension (£33 per week more for couples) and will guarantee £100 a month more on the pension at 75 (£130 a month for couples), lifting a million pensioners out of means-testing at a stroke."