Oral Answers to Questions

Andrew Stephenson Excerpts

Monday 1st February 2016 Commons Chamber

[Mr Vara]

It is important that the hon. Gentleman appreciates that the new state pension is based on national insurance contributions. He will be aware that for many years many people have contracted out, and a small portion of their national insurance has gone towards a work pension or a private pension. If they add the new state pension to their other pension, which was paid for by national insurance contributions, they will find that in many cases they will be better off than they would be under the new state pension, which is £155.65.

[Andrew Stephenson (Pendle) (Con)]

Will not the new state pension remove injustices that have persisted for far too long, benefiting women and low earners especially?

[Mr Vara]

Absolutely. As of April this year, with a new state pension and the triple lock, people will be £1,000 better off than they would have been under the old system whereby pensions were uprated. The triple lock will benefit people by £1,000 by April this year.