Social Security

Attendance allowance is not one of the five benefits that we are particularly targeting, but people can be referred to departmental centres where they can get advice and will be able to get attendance allowance. May I add that getting that allowance is now much easier than in the past, and we have sought to improve the speed at which people can get it? When applications need to be made, it is important to get on and make them quickly. Some recent family experience of trying to do that for a relative showed that it can indeed happen pretty quickly—and I do not believe that those involved knew that I was the responsible Minister! At the request of Age Concern and Help the Aged—they are anxious to work with us in the run-up to October, when some of these changes will occur—we are changing the way in which benefits are accessed. We want to ensure that we get as many people as possible on to pension credit in particular. Up to October this year, pensioners will be able to receive up to one year's backdated pension credit. That can amount to a lot of money for often very poor pensioners and it can help them to improve their standard of living. We have talked to the relevant agencies, which are very happy to work with us, so I shall not offer funding when we already have volunteers happy to do so.