Oral Answers to Questions

Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi Excerpts

Monday 21st March 2022 Commons Chamber

[Chris Elmore (Ogmore) (Lab)]

9. What steps her Department is taking to support pensioners to manage the increase in the cost of living.

[Mr Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi (Slough) (Lab)]

10. What steps her Department is taking to support pensioners to manage the increase in the cost of living.

[Jonathan Gullis (Stoke-on-Trent North) (Con)]

12. What steps she is taking to help support pensioners with the cost of living.

--- Later in debate ---

[Guy Opperman]

I have—I have written to all local papers in the country.

The bottom line is that there is a £200 discount on energy bills from this autumn for domestic electricity customers in Great Britain. There is also the £150 non-repayable council tax rebate and the £144 million of discretionary funding for local authorities to support households who need support but are not eligible for the council tax rebate.

[Mr Dhesi]

We know that the Government have already abandoned their promises on keeping the pensions triple lock and free TV licences for the over-75s. Now, before the soaring inflation and the soaring energy bills have even kicked in, thanks to the Government’s policies, almost a fifth of all pensioners in the UK are living in poverty. One million households are missing out on pension credits and thousands of pensioners, including in my Slough constituency, are bothered by delays, underpayments and other issues. When will the Government finally get a grip and resolve these problems?

[Guy Opperman]

With respect, there are 200,000 fewer pensioners in absolute poverty, both before and after housing costs, than in 2009-10. [Interruption.] With respect, the statistics are correct. The hon. Gentleman will recall, as a Labour Member of Parliament, that when the Government changed in 2010, the state pension was barely £100; the new state pension will be over £185 this coming year. It has risen by £2,300 in cash terms over the last eight years.