Source · Select Committees · Public Accounts Committee
Recommendation 3
3
The Department has not given people who are worried they have been underpaid enough information...
Conclusion
The Department has not given people who are worried they have been underpaid enough information to find out what they should do, with the risk that many may still miss out on money they should receive. The Department’s communications strategy is to only contact those who it finds have been underpaid under the State Pension regulations. Other groups of pensioners can receive arrears if they make a claim for additional entitlements to the Department, but the Department has provided very little information on which pensioners should do so. The Department maintains it cannot publish guidance for those who may have been underpaid, such as an online assessment of whether it is worth a pensioner contacting the Department about their pension, because it believes it cannot accurately cover all possible underpayment scenarios. Furthermore, the Department’s priority so far has been to focus on living pensioners rather than the deceased, even though some of their next of kin may be financially vulnerable. The Department does not have a plan to trace the estates of the deceased where no up-to-date records of spouses or next of kin are held. Recommendation: The Department should improve the clarity and availability of information on State Pension underpayments, and what people who are concerned that they have been underpaid should do. This should include information for groups the Department finds hard to reach such as the next of kin of deceased customers.
Government Response
Not Addressed
HM Government
Not Addressed
3.1 The government agrees with the Committee’s recommendation. Recommendation implemented 3.2 The department welcomes the endorsement of action already taken with their proposed recommendation, although rejects the Committee’s conclusion. As the department set out in the Committee hearing on 28 October 2021 (see questions 149 to 154); there is information on Gov.uk about deriving (Category BL) State Pension, inheriting State Pension through spouse or civil partner, inheriting state pension through partner and Category D (over age 80) State Pension. In 2021 the Category BL and inheritance content was revised, making it easier to find and to emphasise further that some individuals must make a claim and how they can do this. 3.3 The department has conducted complex scans of its computer systems to identify those who may fall into the three broad cohorts covered by the exercise. Where underpayments are identified, the department will contact those affected to inform them of the changes to their State Pension amount, and any arrears due. 3.4 The department is working with the General Registrar’s Office, Coroner’s Office and National Records of Scotland to establish datalinks to identify next of kin details they may hold. 3.5 In addition, the department will provide a more direct route for those enquiring about underpaid State Pension in respect of a deceased customer. The department will update Gov.uk by Summer 2022.