Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what information his Department holds on the trends in the number of carers withdrawing their private pensions before reaching state pension age.

The government does not hold data on the number of carers withdrawing their private pensions to access the pension freedoms. The introduction of the pension freedoms offered individuals more choice on how to manage their financial affairs. The Government believes that in general people should be trusted to make their own choices about how to use their pension savings in later life - that includes access due to caring or ill health.

Many people with caring responsibilities can and do balance work and care, and this helps them plan for and boost their retirement income, and maintain wellbeing in later life. In recognition Government is working to ensure that adult carers can be supported to remain in and return to work. For example Government is working with stakeholders on a Carers Strategy to strengthen the support that is available to carers and has ensured that carers are central to its reforms to care and support with stronger rights in the Care Act 2014.

Through its recent Fuller Working Lives Strategy and its Work, Health and Disability Green Paper, the government has set out to ensure that wherever possible people with health conditions can be supported to remain in and return to work. This is good for both their finances, health and wellbeing. People who are unable to work and who are in receipt of certain welfare benefits will receive National Insurance credits to ensure they continue to build up Qualifying Years for their State Pension.

We are working with industry bodies, consumer representatives, the Treasury, the Financial Conduct Authority and the Pensions Regulator to interpret emerging research and data findings, and actively monitoring the market to understand the choices that consumers are making and identify emerging concerns.