Asked by: Roz Savage (Liberal Democrat - South Cotswolds)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what guidance has been issued to local authorities to ensure they are aware of, and are actively reassessing, potential underpayment of Housing Benefit and Council Tax Reduction for pensioners affected by new income tax liabilities.
Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
Billing authorities are responsible for assessing the income and circumstances of pensioners in receipt of a council tax reduction in accordance with the legislation and for ensuring that they are billed correctly. As with pension age council tax reduction, entitlement to Housing Benefit is calculated on the basis of the net income an individual receives from earnings, self-employment, occupational pensions and the actual value of DWP benefits which are received.
The Government reviews and uprates benefits each year and updates the eligibility criteria for pension-age Local Council Tax Support to reflect this.
Asked by: Roz Savage (Liberal Democrat - South Cotswolds)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether she intends to establish or increase strategic national food reserves.
Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The UK has a resilient food supply chain and is equipped to deal with situations that have the potential to cause disruption. Defra works with industry and across Government to monitor risks that may arise. This includes extensive, regular and ongoing engagement in preparedness for, and response to, issues with the potential to cause disruption to food supply chains.
Asked by: Roz Savage (Liberal Democrat - South Cotswolds)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate the Treasury has made of the additional income tax collected from pre-2016 State Pensioners as a result of the frozen personal allowance.
Answered by Torsten Bell - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
Revenue estimates from, and individuals impacted by frozen thresholds are set out by the Office for Budget Responsibility in Table A of their November 2025 Economic and fiscal outlook, and Table 3.19 of the detailed forecast table of receipts:
Office for Budget Responsibility – Economic and fiscal outlook – November 2025
Office for Budget Responsibility - Economic and fiscal outlook detailed forecast tables: receipts
Those whose sole income is the basic or full new State Pension without any increments will not pay any income tax in 2026/27.
Asked by: Roz Savage (Liberal Democrat - South Cotswolds)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many people in receipt of a pre-April 2016 State Pension have become liable for Income Tax since the freeze in the Income Tax personal allowance threshold.
Answered by Torsten Bell - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
Revenue estimates from, and individuals impacted by frozen thresholds are set out by the Office for Budget Responsibility in Table A of their November 2025 Economic and fiscal outlook, and Table 3.19 of the detailed forecast table of receipts:
Office for Budget Responsibility – Economic and fiscal outlook – November 2025
Office for Budget Responsibility - Economic and fiscal outlook detailed forecast tables: receipts
Those whose sole income is the basic or full new State Pension without any increments will not pay any income tax in 2026/27.
Asked by: Roz Savage (Liberal Democrat - South Cotswolds)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many recipients of the pre-2016 State Pension have been issued with a simple assessment tax demand in each of the last three tax years.
Answered by Torsten Bell - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
Revenue estimates from, and individuals impacted by frozen thresholds are set out by the Office for Budget Responsibility in Table A of their November 2025 Economic and fiscal outlook, and Table 3.19 of the detailed forecast table of receipts:
Office for Budget Responsibility – Economic and fiscal outlook – November 2025
Office for Budget Responsibility - Economic and fiscal outlook detailed forecast tables: receipts
Those whose sole income is the basic or full new State Pension without any increments will not pay any income tax in 2026/27.
Asked by: Roz Savage (Liberal Democrat - South Cotswolds)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many pre-April 2016 state pensioners have been issued with simple assessment tax demands in each of the last three tax years.
Answered by Torsten Bell - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
Revenue estimates from, and individuals impacted by frozen thresholds are set out by the Office for Budget Responsibility in Table A of their November 2025 Economic and fiscal outlook, and Table 3.19 of the detailed forecast table of receipts:
Office for Budget Responsibility – Economic and fiscal outlook – November 2025
Office for Budget Responsibility - Economic and fiscal outlook detailed forecast tables: receipts
Those whose sole income is the basic or full new State Pension without any increments will not pay any income tax in 2026/27.
Asked by: Roz Savage (Liberal Democrat - South Cotswolds)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of mitigating the combined impact of increased taxation and reduced benefit entitlement on low-income pensioners with no additional earnings or savings.
Answered by Torsten Bell - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
It is a key priority for this Government to ease pressures on the cost of living. We remain firmly committed to protecting the most vulnerable pensioners and ensuring financial security in retirement.
The State Pension will remain the foundation of retirement income . In line with the Government’s commitment to the Triple Lock for the duration of this parliament, over 12 million pensioners will benefit from a 4.8% increase to their basic or new State Pension in April 2026, worth up to £575 a year. This follows a substantial increase in 2025/26, when those on the full new State Pension received a £360 boost.
Furthermore, the Chancellor has said that those whose only income is the basic or new State Pension without any increments will not have to pay income tax over this Parliament. At the Budget, the Government announced that it will achieve this by easing the administrative burden for pensioners so that they do not have to pay small amounts of tax via Simple Assessment from 2027/28. The Government will set out more details next year.
The Pension Credit Standard Minimum Guarantee will also increase by 4.8% in April 2026, from £227.10 to £238 a week for single pensioners and from £346.60 to £363.25 for couples, protecting the poorest pensioners. Over three quarters of pensioners will benefit from the Winter Fuel Payment for the duration of this Parliament, targeting help at those on lower and middle incomes while ensuring fairness for taxpayers.
Pensioners also benefit from free eye tests, NHS prescriptions and bus passes, and some may qualify for means tested benefits such as Housing Benefit and Cold Weather Payments.