Speech in Westminster Hall - Wed 17 Nov 2021
Supporting Single Parents into Work
"The hon. Lady is perhaps about to tell us that a child of a single parent family is much more likely to grow up in poverty. She also pointed out that single parents are much more likely to work part time. In view of that, does she agree that it …..."Patricia Gibson - View Speech
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Speech in Westminster Hall - Wed 17 Nov 2021
Supporting Single Parents into Work
"Does the hon. Lady agree that as well as the measures she is talking about, organisations such as the Department for Work and Pensions and the child maintenance service need to get better and more robust at supporting single parents who are fleeing domestic abuse?..."Patricia Gibson - View Speech
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Speech in Commons Chamber - Mon 15 Nov 2021
Social Security (Up-rating of Benefits) Bill
"rose—..."Patricia Gibson - View Speech
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Speech in Commons Chamber - Mon 15 Nov 2021
Social Security (Up-rating of Benefits) Bill
"I rise to support Lords amendments 1 and 2. The Tory Government’s abandonment of the link between earnings and pensions, smashing the triple-lock manifesto commitment, is truly disgraceful. We are told this is necessary because this year’s earnings measure is “skewed and distorted”. There are many things swirling around Westminster …..."Patricia Gibson - View Speech
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Speech in Commons Chamber - Mon 15 Nov 2021
Social Security (Up-rating of Benefits) Bill
"I absolutely agree with my hon. Friend that one of the so-called Union dividends is a pension that is a pithy amount compared with those in other developed nations.
There is genuine fear that this abandonment of the triple lock will lead to permanent and more damaging actions against pensioner …..."Patricia Gibson - View Speech
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Speech in Commons Chamber - Mon 08 Nov 2021
Oral Answers to Questions
"13. What steps her Department is taking to tackle levels of poverty among pensioners. ..."Patricia Gibson - View Speech
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Speech in Commons Chamber - Mon 08 Nov 2021
Oral Answers to Questions
"With women born in the 1950s having their pension age increased with little or no notice, with state pension payments delayed, causing real financial distress, with more than 2 million older people living in poverty, and with the triple lock abandoned with many pensioners set to be £520 worse off …..."Patricia Gibson - View Speech
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Written Question
Thursday 21st October 2021
Asked by:
Patricia Gibson (Scottish National Party - North Ayrshire and Arran)
Question
to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what plans she has to (a) raise awareness of Pension Credit and (b) make an assessment of the potential merits of increasing the time period for claiming backdated Pension Credit from three months.
Answered by Guy Opperman
Around 1.4 million eligible pensioners across Great Britain receive some £5 billion in Pension Credit which tops up their retirement income and is a passport to other financial help such as support with housing costs, council tax, heating bills and a free TV licence for those over 75.
We continue to use every opportunity to encourage pensioners to check their eligibility and make a claim. For example, on 16 June as part of a media day of action on Pension Credit, DWP joined forces with Age UK as well as the BBC to help reach, via national and local media, older people who may be reticent about claiming it. More recently, on 7 September, I met the BBC Director General to discuss other opportunities to work together to get information about Pension Credit to pensioners and their family members. We have also set up a working group including organisations such as Age UK, Independent Age, the BBC and British Telecom to explore innovative ways to reach eligible pensioners. The most recent meeting of the working group took place on 19 October.
Earlier this year, over 11 million pensioners in Great Britain received information about Pension Credit in the leaflet accompanying their annual State Pension up-rating letter. They will do so again next year.
There are no plans to review the existing Pension Credit backdating rules.
Speech in Commons Chamber - Mon 20 Sep 2021
Social Security (Up-rating of Benefits) Bill
"Does my hon. Friend share my disappointment with the Minister, who talked earlier about how the Scottish Government should top up the income that pensioners would be deprived of? The Minister knows full well—if he does not, it is worrying— that section 28 of the Scotland Act 2016 forbids the …..."Patricia Gibson - View Speech
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Speech in Commons Chamber - Mon 20 Sep 2021
Social Security (Up-rating of Benefits) Bill
"Finally, in this Bill, it is official: the Government will break their triple-lock promise to pensioners. The state pension will not increase with earnings in 2022-23 after all. Well, well, well: we can hardly be surprised. The betrayal of the commitment to the triple lock can be filed under the …..."Patricia Gibson - View Speech
View all Patricia Gibson (SNP - North Ayrshire and Arran) contributions to the debate on: Social Security (Up-rating of Benefits) Bill