Social Security

It is true that there have been extra pressures, especially this year. I am about to describe some of the other measures that we have taken—particularly in regard to the winter fuel allowance—to reflect some of those increased pressures, while, as the hon. Gentleman says, sticking to the formula. That, as I am sure he knows, is the way in which a number of Administrations have worked. As I have said, from April 2009 pensioners on the lowest incomes will see the biggest increase in the pension credit standard minimum guarantee since its introduction in 2003. It will rise by £5.95 a week for single pensioners and by £9.10 a week for couples, which means that no single pensioner need live on less than £130 a week, and no couple on less than £198.45 a week. That underlines our determination to target help on the people who need it most—those with the lowest incomes. This year we will spend more than £13 billion more on pensioners than we would be spending if we had retained the policies we inherited from the last Government. As a result of those tax and benefit changes, the average pensioner household is £1,600 a year, or £31 a week, better off, while the poorest pensioner households are, on average, around £2,200 a year better off. As the hon. Member for Ribble Valley (Mr. Evans) pointed out, it is vital for us to do all that we can to ensure that benefit recipients and pensioners receive the support to which they are entitled. That is why we have tried to simplify the claims process, removing the need for people to complete and sign claim forms: claims for housing benefit, council tax benefit and pension credit can now be made together by means of a single telephone call. We are considering a number of other ways we can ensure that people receive their entitlement, such as the use of data matching to identify those who may be entitled to pension credit but do not currently receive it, provision for around 13,000 home visits a week by the local pensions service to vulnerable customers, and the promotion of take-up through a range of activities including direct mail initiatives, local partnership work, and regional radio, press and outdoor advertising. We also intend to support Members of Parliament who run their own campaigns locally. Those campaigns in themselves can be quite successful.