Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of raising the rate of pensions in line with (a) rent and (b) other cost of living expenses.

The Government remains committed to ensuring that older people can live with the dignity and respect they deserve, and the State Pension is the foundation of state support for older people.

In April, the State Pension saw its biggest ever rise, increasing by 10.1%. The full yearly amount of the basic State Pension is now over £3,050 higher, in cash terms, than in it was 2010. That’s £790 more than if it had been uprated by prices, and £945 more than if it had been uprated by earnings (since 2010). The increase of 10.1% is in line with the Consumer Price Index which includes changes in rents in the basket of goods used to measure it.

The Government has also supported pensioners with additional payments to reflect the exceptional cost of living pressures. This year this includes a Pensioner Cost of Living Payment worth up to £300 in the winter of 2023/24 to all pensioner households and additional cost of living payments of up to £900 for households on eligible means-tested benefits, including Pension Credit.

For those who require additional support the Government has provided an additional £1 billion of funding as a further extension of the Household Support Fund.