Pensioners receiving £2 billion extra per year, says Minister

The first year of Pension Credit has made a real difference to the lives of Britain's pensioners, Pensions Minister Malcolm Wicks said today.

Since its introduction in October last year £2 billion extra a year is going to pensioners with 3.17 million people receiving the extra income.

Commenting on the Pension Credit’s first year, Mr Wicks said: "In the last twelve months we have been able to get more money - £2 billion to our poorest and most vulnerable pensioners thanks to Pension Credit.

"We are talking about making a real difference with an average weekly payment of over £40 going straight into the hands of those who need it most.

"We have worked hard to make Pension Credit as accessible as possible. Gone are the days of 40 page application forms and we have moved away from the intrusive weekly means tests of the past. Instead we have made applying straightforward, less intrusive and more focused on the customer's needs.

Alan Johnson, Secretary of State for Work and Pensions added: "The commitment to tackling poverty remains at the heart of this Government's welfare agenda. Our approach has already cut absolute pensioner poverty by two thirds, lifting 1.8 million pensioners out of acute hardship. Pension Credit is taking the fight on poverty even further.

“But more than that, it also gets extra money to those who have managed to save something for their retirement, and have missed out in the past, ensuring it pays to save on top of the basic state pension."

Pension Credit applications can be made via the freephone Pension Credit application line on 0800 99 1234.

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