Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Guy Opperman and Andy McDonald

Monday 21st March 2022 Commons Chamber

[Andy McDonald (Middlesbrough) (Lab)]

T7. Pensions and benefits have been uprated by 3.1%, whereas inflation is set to be 6.2%, or 8% if The Daily Telegraph has got it right. That means that pensioners and benefits recipients will not be able to pay for the most basic essentials. How can the Minister look people in the eye when the Government have inflicted yet another real-terms cut?

[The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (Guy Opperman)]

The factual matter is that the state pension has increased by in excess of 5% over the past two years. There is also £5 billion-worth of pension credit—I encourage the hon. Gentleman to get his vulnerable constituents to apply for that—and the Chancellor’s £9.1 billion package for energy bills. I also encourage the hon. Gentleman to get his constituents to apply to the local authority fund.