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 implications for his policies of the report by Independent Age entitled Jumping Through Hoops, published on 4 March 2025.

The Government is absolutely committed to supporting pensioners and giving them the dignity and security they deserve in retirement. From the end of this Parliament, as a result of our commitment to protect the Triple Lock, spending on State Pensions is forecast to be around £34 billion more a year, compared with 2024/25. This will see pensioners’ yearly incomes rising by up to £2,100.

We have revived the Pensions Commission which will consider the broader questions of adequacy, fairness, and sustainability to guide the long-term future of our pensions system. Amongst other things, the Commission will look at how to improve retirement outcomes, especially for those on the lowest incomes and at the greatest risk of poverty or under-saving.

Maximising the take-up of Pension Credit remains a key priority. That is why we have been running the biggest ever Pension Credit take-up campaign, promoting Pension Credit to eligible pensioners and their family and friends. And we are making better use of data to directly target potentially eligible households. Since February, all new Housing Benefit claimants who may be eligible have been invited to apply for Pension Credit. Looking ahead, aligning the administration of Pension Credit with pensioner Housing Benefit will help ensure that more pensioners receive the financial support they are entitled to.

The Department keeps policies and processes under regular review, including monitoring poverty through annual statistics and research into retirement planning, as well as considering the contributions of stakeholders such as the reports by Independent Age and others.