Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Freud on 15 September (HL1462), what happens to letters that are returned undelivered when incorrect details are held.

Letters are issued to the latest address held on our records. Whilst the onus is on our citizens to notify appropriate Departments of their current address, DWP takes all reasonable steps to determine the correct address when letters are returned. This includes scrutinising all available DWP systems to determine if a revised address is held. At the time of the age equalisation communications campaign the process for State Pension included contact through Local Authorities or a DWP Visiting Officer. Where an updated address is confirmed the customer account details are amended.