Oral Question·Department of Health and Social Care
“What steps her Department is taking to reduce waiting times for NHS treatment.”
Tabled: 28 February 2024Answered: 5 March 2024
Asked by
Richard Burgon
Labour — Leeds East
Answering Minister
the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care
Answer from Hansard
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (Emma Reynolds)
Under the last Conservative Government, an estimated 880,000 of the poorest pensioners eligible for pension credit were not claiming it. We have launched the biggest ever pension credit awareness campaign and written to 120,000 pensioners on housing benefit, urging them to apply. As a result, claims for pension credit have more than doubled, and those who receive pension credit will also receive winter fuel payments and other related benefits.