Source · Select Committees · Work and Pensions Committee
2nd Report - Pensioner Poverty: challenges and mitigations
Work and Pensions Committee
HC 465
Published 24 July 2025
Recommendations
27
Acknowledged
Encourage using Crisis and Resilience fund for benefits take-up and assess advice sector capacity needs.
Recommendation
When the guidance is produced, it should encourage the use of the Crisis and Resilience fund for benefit take-up work. The Government should assess what more is needed to increase the advice sector capacity needed to support this work. (Recommendation, …
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Government Response Summary
The government recognizes the importance of benefit take-up and the advice sector, stating they are working on the Crisis and Resilience Fund's detailed design, including considering advice sector capacity, with guidance due by April 2026.
Department for Work and Pensions
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Conclusions (9)
9
Conclusion
Acknowledged
Some older people do not feel that their interests are being heard in government decision making. Wales’ Older People’s Commissioner has made a substantial difference in areas including digital inclusion, care homes and access to GP practices. The Commissioner’s statutory powers of review give the role authority and it has …
Government Response Summary
The government acknowledges the effectiveness of Wales' Older People's Commissioner and commits to considering its experience and impact to inform its future thinking in England.
15
Conclusion
Acknowledged
Direct reductions in energy bills ensure that money is spent on energy, giving pensioners the confidence needed to turn the heating on. This is currently provided through the Warm Homes Discount, which provides a discount of £150 on bills for households on means-tested benefits. There is general agreement that this …
Government Response Summary
The government announced the expansion of the Warm Home Discount to 6 million households this winter and acknowledges that those not on means-tested benefits miss out on support due to data availability. It is working on data matching and will detail its approach in a new Fuel Poverty Strategy later this year.
20
Conclusion
Acknowledged
The Minister referred to the reputation of the Department and the reluctance of people to engage with it. We know that trust issues exist between working age people and the Department, and these will endure as they reach pension age. Given this, we disagree with the Minister that there is …
Government Response Summary
The government states it is strengthening its communications approach by embedding messaging that positions DWP as a supportive service and developing accessible materials to help people access their entitlements.
22
Conclusion
Acknowledged
Differences in rules mean that it is not straightforward to award one benefit based on information provided for another without changes in legislation. We look forward to seeing the consultation on the Government’s proposed merger of Housing Benefit and Pension Credit and how the challenges arising from the differences are …
Government Response Summary
The government acknowledges the confusing system for carers to qualify for Pension Credit and states it is considering ways to improve the link between Carer’s Allowance and Pension Credit, as well as application routes for pensioners with caring responsibilities.
26
Conclusion
Acknowledged
Local Welfare Support plays an important role both in crisis support and in funding take-up campaigns. We note the importance of longer-term funding to allow local authorities to plan ahead and so welcome the announcement in the Spending Review of a multi-year settlement for the Crisis and Resilience Fund in …
Government Response Summary
The government acknowledges the importance of the Crisis and Resilience Fund for preventative support and benefit take-up, and is working closely with stakeholders on its detailed design, planning to issue guidance before the scheme starts on 1 April 2026.
30
Conclusion
Acknowledged
We note evidence from the UK and internationally shows that the design and level of state pension benefits can have a significant impact on pensioner poverty, as well as improving health outcomes. (Conclusion, Paragraph 146)
Government Response Summary
The government acknowledges challenges in the pensions system for future generations and has established a Pensions Commission to examine long-term questions of adequacy and retirement outcomes, alongside plans to support employment.
31
Conclusion
Acknowledged
We welcome the pensions adequacy review and its focus on outcomes. We note that there are different measures, which are all helpful in telling us different things, such as: replacement rates indicate the extent to which 86 people are able to maintain a standard of living throughout life; the relative …
Government Response Summary
The government confirms the Pensions Commission's terms of reference include adequacy and improving retirement outcomes for vulnerable groups, stating the Commission will consider all evidence, engage stakeholders, and submit its final report in 2027.
33
Conclusion
Acknowledged
One in eight pensioners rely solely on the state pension and it makes up 80% of the retirement income of the poorest pensioners. The Minister for Pensions said to us that the State Pension formed the ‘bedrock of Government support’ for pensioners, yet we heard that many of those who …
Government Response Summary
The government reaffirms its commitment to pensioners, highlighting the Triple Lock and significant spending on State Pensions, and mentions past government actions to support low-income households and improve retirement outcomes.
39
Conclusion
Acknowledged
The Pensions Policy Institute expects the number and proportion of pensioners renting privately to grow from around 6% now to 17% in 2041. As many as 400,000 households could become dependent on means-tested benefits. Pensioners renting privately are already at risk of poverty, with the operation of the Local Housing …
Government Response Summary
The government explained the Local Housing Allowance (LHA) and mentioned its increase in April 2024, alongside the availability of Discretionary Housing Payments. It also detailed a new Social and Affordable Homes Programme and noted that the upcoming Long-Term Housing Strategy will consider housing for older people.