Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps her Department is taking to reduce waiting times at the Pensions Ombudsman for (a) older pensioners and (b) other people.

The Pension Ombudsman (TPO) has experienced a significant increase in complaints over several years, and this trend is continuing. This has impacted on waiting times for cases to be allocated to specialists. TPO does not differentiate or collect data on age when considering complaints.

DWP has allocated additional funding to TPO to reduce waiting times. TPO has also implemented an Operating Model Review (OMR) programme to improve the efficiency of its operations. This is beginning to have a positive impact on waiting times.