Pension Access Rules: Impact on Terminally Ill

Debate between Baroness Finlay of Llandaff and Lord Livermore

Tuesday 30th June 2026 Lords Chamber

[Lord Livermore (Lab)]

I am grateful to the noble Baroness for her support for what I said. As she said, unlike a personal workplace pension, which can potentially be drawn down earlier, a state pension can be accessed only at the state pension age, and there are no current plans to change this. However, for those nearing the end of their life, special benefit rules apply. These enable people who are nearing the end of their life to get faster and easier access to certain benefits without needing to attend a medical assessment and, in most cases, enable them to receive the highest rate of benefit. These rules apply to five benefits that support people with health conditions or disabilities: personal independence payment; disability living allowance; attendance allowance; universal credit; and employment and support allowance.

[Baroness Finlay of Llandaff (CB)]

The Government’s review is much to be welcomed, because of the disparity. Given that 33% of working-age people with children who are terminally ill are recognised as dying in poverty, will the Government also look at the ability of people who withdraw their private pension to access a full range of benefits, including universal credit, so that they are not jeopardised and we do not end up with a situation where people who are trying to invest in their long-term future are penalised for doing so?

[Lord Livermore (Lab)]

Yes, I think I can; I think that is broadly along the lines of what I covered in my previous answer—that those who are nearing the end of their life should be able to get faster and easier access to certain benefits. As the noble Baroness is asking, those benefits include support for people with health conditions or disabilities: personal independence payment; disability living allowance; attendance allowance; universal credit; and employment and support allowance.

Social Care and Special Education Charities: Employer National Insurance Contributions

Debate between Baroness Finlay of Llandaff and Lord Livermore

Monday 9th June 2025 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Finlay of Llandaff (CB)]

My Lords, given the worrying data from the National Care Forum that 73% of providers reckon that they will have to refuse new care packages from local authorities or the NHS, and that 22% plan to close their businesses entirely, what consideration are the Government giving to renegotiating completely the national insurance contributions, to ensure that those who provide direct care are not burdened with an expenditure that risks putting up the load and demand on the NHS itself and on local authorities, so that we get circular downward spiralling of excess expenditure?

[Lord Livermore (Lab)]

I do not think I can give a positive answer to the main thrust of the noble Baroness’s question. As she will know, and as I said already, the Government are making available £3.7 billion of additional funding for social care authorities in 2025-26. We will set out future years’ allocations in the spending review on Wednesday. As she knows, the Government will provide support for departments and other public sector employers for the additional employer national insurance costs.