Oral Answers to Questions

Philip Hollobone Excerpts

Monday 8th November 2021 Commons Chamber

[David Rutley]

The hon. Gentleman’s constituents will have the opportunity to fill the vacancies that are no doubt in his patch as well as across the country. I can also assure him that we do understand that there will be vulnerable families who need extra support this winter, which is why £1.8 million has been allocated to families in Portsmouth through the local authorities there.

[Mr Philip Hollobone (Kettering) (Con)]

10. How many people (a) receive the state pension and (b) claim pension credit in Kettering constituency.

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

The most recent statistics show that 17,942 people receive the state pension and 1,888 receive pension credit in the Kettering constituency.

[Mr Hollobone]

Pension credit is a tax-free, means-tested benefit aimed at retired people on low incomes. It can be worth up to £3,000 a year and trigger extra help with heating bills, council tax, free dental care and free TV licences for the over-75s, yet, at a time when many pensioners are struggling with household bills, up to 1 million pensioners are not claiming £1.8 billion in pension credit. What can the Minister do to encourage take-up in Kettering and across the country?

[Guy Opperman]

I am grateful to my hon. Friend for raising that point. We continue to make the case with the BBC, which I have met on two occasions, with the pension credit taskforce, which we specifically set up to address this matter, and with the Local Government Association and energy companies. We have put great efforts into increasing the stats. The stats on valuation and take-up are going up, but clearly more needs to be done, and I welcome his efforts in Kettering and beyond.