Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking (1) to encourage the take up of Pension Credit, and (2) to simplify the application process.

The Department is running a national uptake campaign to encourage the estimated up to 880,000 citizens who may be entitled to Pension Credit apply for it. The Department is in the process of modernising the Pension Credit delivery and has previously undertaken an assessment of the application process and introduced online claims in addition to telephone and paper claims. DWP Agents and third-party organisations are available to support customers with the application process.