Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will estimate the cost to the public purse of applying a disregard for Armed Forces Pensions when considering the eligibility for income-related benefits for former members of the Armed Forces.

As I set out in my previous answer, on 27 October 2017 (to PQ 108445), the Government has no plans to introduce a disregard for Armed Forces Pensions when considering the eligibility for income-related benefits for former members of the Armed Forces. It is not be possible to provide an accurate estimate of the costs of introducing a disregard without incurring disproportionate costs. Any estimate would require a number of assumptions about who was receiving an armed forces pension and their needs, circumstances and income.