Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many mixed-age couples are impacted by the rule which prevents them from claiming pension-age benefits until the youngest partner reaches State Pension age.

The requested information is not held

The requirement that both members of a couple need to have reached State Pension age to be eligible for Pension Credit or pension-age Housing Benefit took effect from 15 May 2019. Income-related benefit support for couples where only one partner has reached State Pension age is provided through Universal Credit instead.