Asked by: Blake Stephenson (Conservative - Mid Bedfordshire)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will make an assessment of the adequacy of processing times for applications for pension credit.
Answered by Torsten Bell - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
The latest year to date performance for 2025-2026 shows improvement of claims processed within the current target of 50 working days. Our most recent Pension Credit applications and awards: November 2025 - GOV.UK statistics show outstanding Pension Credit claims have reduced to 12,940 outstanding at the end of week commencing 17 November. This is a decrease of 84% or 68,845 fewer outstanding claims compared to end of week commencing 18 November 2024.
Asked by: Blake Stephenson (Conservative - Mid Bedfordshire)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, with reference to the Autumn Budget 2025, whether his policy to fully fund SME apprenticeships for under 25s will include level 7 apprenticeships.
Answered by Andrew Western - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
I refer the hon. Member to the answer of I gave on 10 December 2025 to Question UIN 95355.
Asked by: Blake Stephenson (Conservative - Mid Bedfordshire)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether he has made a recent assessment of the effectiveness of CMS enforcement.
Answered by Andrew Western - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
If paying parents fail to meet their financial obligation to their children, the Child Maintenance Service (CMS) has a range of strong enforcement powers, including deductions directly from earnings and bank accounts, removing a parent’s passport or driving license and commitment to prison.
CMS continually assesses the effectiveness of its enforcement action and in the year to September 2025 collected £214m through administrative and court-based enforcement actions (including deductions from earnings). This is the highest amount collected annually through enforcement activity, and 21% more than that collected during the year to September 2024.
We are working to introduce administrative liability orders (ALOs) to replace the current court-based liability order process. This simpler approach will allow CMS to act faster against parents who avoid their responsibilities, getting money to children more quickly. These changes strengthen enforcement powers and reduce delays. We are working with HM Courts and Tribunals Service and the Scottish Government to implement ALOs and will bring regulations to Parliament as soon as possible.
Asked by: Blake Stephenson (Conservative - Mid Bedfordshire)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, with reference to the press release entitled Fresh drive to boost Pension Credit take-up as new figures reveal large regional gaps in those receiving benefit worth around £4,300 a year, published on 30 October 2025, if he will publish constituency level analysis.
Answered by Torsten Bell - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
Ad-hoc statistics on households potentially eligible for Pension Credit were published by DWP for the financial year 2023 to 2024 and are available at: Households potentially eligible for Pension Credit, 2023 to 2024 - GOV.UK. Table 4a provides a breakdown of eligible households in receipt of Pension Credit, potentially eligible households and Pension Credit receipt rate by parliamentary constituency.
These are estimates based on administrative data and are not derived from the official statistics (available here: Income-related benefits: estimates of take-up: financial year ending 2024 - GOV.UK). The official statistics should be used for estimates of Pension Credit take-up at the Great Britian level, with the ad-hoc statistics providing breakdowns at lower levels of geographical areas.
Asked by: Blake Stephenson (Conservative - Mid Bedfordshire)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether he has made an (a) estimate of the age of inheritance for the next five decades and (b) assessment of the potential impact of increased longevity on the adequacy of assets held at state pension age for comfortable retirement.
Answered by Torsten Bell - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
The Department for Work and Pensions has published analysis on the number and proportion of working age individuals who are undersaving for retirement. This analysis is published here: Analysis of Future Pension Incomes 2025 - GOV.UK
This analysis looks at Target Replacement Rates, the percentage of pre-retirement earnings an individual would need to replace to meet an adequate income in retirement, and also at expenditure-based measures of income adequacy in retirement. This analysis includes estimates of longevity as part of assessing the level of savings needed to achieve the various levels of income.
No specific assessment has been made of the age of inheritance.
The Government has also revived the Pensions Commission, with a broad and comprehensive remit to consider the long-term future of our pension system, to ensure it delivers financial security in retirement through a framework that is strong, fair and sustainable. This includes exploring the long-term questions of adequacy and how to improve retirement outcomes for future generations of retirees.
Asked by: Blake Stephenson (Conservative - Mid Bedfordshire)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many visas a) his Department, b) the Pension Protection Fund, and c) the Office for Nuclear Regulation have sponsored since 4 July 2024.
Answered by Andrew Western - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
The requested data is not held centrally in a reportable format.
Asked by: Blake Stephenson (Conservative - Mid Bedfordshire)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will make an estimate of the cost to the public purse of (a) consultations and (b) reviews conducted by his Department since 4 July 2024.
Answered by Andrew Western - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
The information requested is not held centrally and to provide it would incur disproportionate cost.
Asked by: Blake Stephenson (Conservative - Mid Bedfordshire)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps she plans to take to encourage self-employed workers to pay into private pension funds.
Answered by Torsten Bell - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
The proportion of the self-employed who are saving into a pension has fallen significantly from almost 50% in the late 1990s to less than 20% at present. While self-employed workers are not eligible for Automatic Enrolment, the National Employment Savings Trust (Nest) must accept individuals who are self-employed, meeting certain conditions, who wish to join a pension scheme.
The Department is currently working with Nest Insight and partners to test potential solutions. The Pensions Commission will also explore steps to improve pension outcomes, especially for those at the greatest risk of undersaving, such as self-employed workers.
Asked by: Blake Stephenson (Conservative - Mid Bedfordshire)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, with reference to page 29 of the document by the OBR entitled Fiscal risks and sustainability, published on 8 July 2025, whether her Department has made its own assessment of the long-term sustainability of the state pension.
Answered by Torsten Bell - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
The Government is absolutely committed to supporting pensioners and giving them the dignity and security they deserve in retirement.
State Pension payments are paid from the National Insurance Fund (NIF). The Government reviews forecasts of the NIF balance every five years to inform future decisions. The Government Actuary’s Department is currently undertaking its quinquennial review.
Asked by: Blake Stephenson (Conservative - Mid Bedfordshire)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what plans she has to ensure that low paid workers have adequate income in retirement.
Answered by Torsten Bell - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
This government is committed to enabling tomorrow’s pensioners to have security in retirement. The Pensions Commission has been revived to consider what is required in the long term to deliver a pensions framework that is stronger, fairer and more sustainable. Amongst other things, the Commission will look at how to improve retirement outcomes, especially for those on the lowest incomes and at the greatest risk of poverty or under-saving.