Source · Select Committees · Work and Pensions Committee
Recommendation 19
19
Accepted
Pride and reluctance remain key barriers to Pension Credit take-up.
Conclusion
We welcome the Government’s commitment to increase Pension Credit take-up and progress so far, with 60,000 additional awards since July 2024. Long experience and extensive research demonstrate that the main barriers to claiming relate to pride, not wanting to ask for help and a feeling that ‘benefits are not for people like me.’ We agree with the Minister that the message should be that it is worth claiming and that the Department is there to support people in doing so. (Conclusion, Paragraph 111)
Government Response Summary
The government details its significant progress in implementing place-based and strategic partnerships for Pension Credit promotion, utilizing trusted advocates, councils, and community groups. It also describes embedding messaging to position DWP as a supportive service, creating accessible materials to help people access entitlements.
Government Response
Accepted
HM Government
Accepted
The Department has made significant progress in implementing ‘place-based’ promotion through trusted advocates/ partners as part of our nationwide Pension Credit stakeholder outreach campaign. We also engage with all councils in Great Britain through regular Local Authority Welfare Direct bulletins and targeted email communications. This grassroots approach has been amplified through strategic partnerships with the private sector, charities, and community outreach support groups nationwide. Our strategy recognises that trusted local voices are essential for reaching those who may be hesitant to engage with government services directly. Community libraries have hosted in-person events whilst charities have integrated our materials into their regular customer and community interactions, ensuring our message reaches people through channels they already trust and use. To strengthen our communications approach, we are embedding messaging that positions DWP as a supportive service dedicated to helping people access their entitlements. This includes developing accessible materials in digital and print format, including resources that provide guidance to people who help pensioners to assess their eligibility for support.