Annette Brooke- Will Mid Dorset Pensioners
September 10, 2003 12:00 AM
Annette Brooke, Lib Dem MP for Mid Dorset constituency, has today said she is pleased that the Government has begun to advertise the new Pension Credit but has warned of the results of failure. Pension Credit is a new entitlement that is being introduced from October 2003 in place of the Minimum Income Guarantee. The Pension Credit TV advertisements started on September 3, advertisements in the press will commence on 17 September and radio ads will be broadcast from 6 October.
Annette Brooke has uncovered new figures showing that the poorest pensioners in Mid Dorset constituency could lose over £3million a year. Annette Brooke has found out from the Department of Work & Pensions that the average Pension Credit recipient will receive £2,250 in a year. The Government has already estimated that 1,500 of approximately 6,000 pensioners in our area will miss out on the Pension credit. If this happens, then the poorest pensioners will miss out on £3,375,000 a year of the money owed to them.
Annette Brooke MP said:
"I have been seeking to raise awareness of the Pension Credit for months and it is good to see that the Government has finally stepped up its information campaign. It is vital that as many people as possible apply as I have now found out that the Pension Credit is worth £2,250 a year for the average recipient. So, if the hundreds in our area who are estimated to miss out do so, then our area could miss out on over £3 million pounds of pension money a year.
"Even more disturbing is the fact that even if this proportion of people do miss out, the Government will say that it has hit its own target for take-up of this entitlement.
"We cannot allow hundreds of local pensioners to miss out on the millions of pounds of money that is owed to them. If you are over 60 make sure you apply now on 0800 99 1234 to check whether you are entitled to this cash."
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