Oral Answers to Questions

Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi Excerpts

Monday 31st October 2022 Commons Chamber

[Gerald Jones (Merthyr Tydfil and Rhymney) (Lab)]

12. What support his Department is providing to pensioners during the cost of living crisis.

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

14. What support his Department is providing to pensioners during the cost of living crisis.

[The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (Laura Trott)]

This winter more than 8 million pensioner households will receive an increased winter fuel payment; in addition, those eligible for pension credit will receive an extra £650. This Government will always support the most vulnerable.

[Laura Trott]

I applaud the hon. Gentleman for the work he is doing in his constituency. This is an incredibly important matter; seven out of 10 people who are entitled to pension credit claim it and we want to drive that rate up. My hon. Friend the Member for Hexham (Guy Opperman) has done a huge amount of work on this and I intend to continue that in the Department.

[Mr Dhesi]

Irresponsible Conservative policies have meant pension funds needed three emergency bail-outs to the tune of billions of pounds, while the spiralling prices of energy, food and other essential items have meant millions of people will be facing a very difficult winter. Statistics from earlier this year, before the cost of living crisis worsened even further, showed that 20%, or well over 2 million, pensioners already lived in poverty, a dramatic increase from a decade ago. Why should pensioners trust this Government to help them through this mess when the reckless behaviour of Conservative Ministers has worsened their plight?