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
10
Deferred
Appoint an Older People's Commissioner for England or propose equivalent advocacy mechanisms
Recommendation
We recommend the Government appoint an Older People’s Commissioner for England. If the Government decides not to, it should explain what alternative mechanism it proposes to address the issues of, for example, accountability, co-ordination and advocacy, and how this will …
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Government Response Summary
The government defers a decision on appointing an Older People's Commissioner for England, stating it will consider the experience and effectiveness of the Welsh Commissioner to inform future thinking, without proposing an alternative mechanism.
Department for Work and Pensions
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32
Deferred
Consult on State Pension objectives, aiming for dignified living standards and reducing pensioner inequality.
Recommendation
The pensions adequacy review should consult on objectives for the State Pension, taking account of adequacy, sustainability and fairness. Given that it is the core of the Government’s offer to pensioners, relied on by many pensioners on low incomes, a …
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Government Response Summary
The government states the Pensions Commission, due to report in 2027, will examine the pensions system, including considerations of adequacy and improving retirement outcomes for vulnerable groups, but does not commit to consulting on specific State Pension objectives or setting a strategy now.
Department for Work and Pensions
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34
Deferred
Establish a plan to ensure State Pension adequacy for all, reviewing undermining system aspects.
Recommendation
Once an objective for the State Pension relating to adequacy has been agreed, the Government should put in place a plan for getting everyone to that level. The first step should be to review those aspects of the state pension …
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Government Response Summary
The government states the Pensions Commission will examine the pensions system to build a future-proof, strong, fair, and sustainable system, considering adequacy and retirement outcomes, with its final report expected in 2027, deferring the immediate action of putting a plan in place.
Department for Work and Pensions
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40
Deferred
Assess Local Housing Allowance impact on pensioner living standards; include older people's housing in strategy.
Recommendation
The Government should assess the impact of the Local Housing Allowance on pensioners and whether it leaves them with the income needed for a minimum, dignified, socially acceptable standard of living and report back to the Committee by the end …
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Government Response Summary
The government stated that the Local Housing Allowance is regularly reviewed, including for age-related impacts, and confirmed that the upcoming Long-Term Housing Strategy will include considerations for older people's housing. However, it did not commit to a specific new impact assessment and report by the end of 2025 as recommended.
Department for Work and Pensions
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Conclusions (3)
2
Conclusion
Deferred
Improving pension outcomes requires an understanding of the systemic challenges. Of the groups at risk, we took most evidence on the position of women, who make up two-thirds (67%) of pensioners in poverty. Some positive steps have been taken to improve their pension outcomes: in particular, through the introduction of …
Government Response Summary
The government acknowledges the issues around women's pension outcomes and the Gender Pensions Gap, stating it will continue to monitor and publish data every two years. It defers substantial consideration of improvements to the Pensions Commission, which will report its recommendations in 2027.
16
Conclusion
Deferred
As a matter of urgency, DWP and DESNZ should consult on a new long-term targeted energy bill support scheme (a ‘social tariff’) able to provide more generous support than the existing Warm Homes Discount scheme and also to reach a wider group of pensioners in fuel poverty but not in …
Government Response Summary
The government responds by announcing the expansion of the Warm Home Discount and acknowledges the issue of supporting those not on means-tested benefits. It states a new Fuel Poverty Strategy, due later this year, will set out details of its approach to data and targeting future bill support, without committing to a consultation on a new social tariff.
17
Conclusion
Deferred
Data is needed to identify people not on means-tested benefits but in need of bill support. Not having the mechanisms for this is one of the barriers to the introduction of a social tariff for energy. It is already an issue in other sectors, such as water, where social tariffs …
Government Response Summary
The government acknowledges data availability as a key barrier and states it is continuing cross-departmental work on data matching. It plans to set out more details on its approach to data and targeting future support in the new Fuel Poverty Strategy, due later this year.