From the news section on this very web site on the 5.12.2007...
"Backdating of pension credit, housing benefit and council tax benefit claims for those aged 60 or over is to be limited to three months, the government has announced.
As part of a package of simplification measures aimed at making the benefit system 'simpler and less intrusive for older people', Minister for Pensions Reform Mike O'Brien said today that -
'Whilst we strive to deal with claims sensitively and without unnecessary intrusion, we know that some pensioners don't like being asked for information about their incomes and personal circumstances. A shorter back-dating period ... will significantly cut the amount of personal information we need to request – and speed up claims.'"
Is this some kind of yule tide joke? Does the Minister really believe he can flog this cut as an improvement?
As we all know, guarantee credit alone can boost weekly income of a single person on basic pension by around £32.00 per week (thats without any disability/carer additions, and irrespective of savings credit etc etc). Cutting backdating by 39 weeks means a reduction of nearly £1,300.00 in that example.
However, I am sure that pensioners would gladly trade this degree of loss, for the reduced amount of intrusion the changes will bring!!
Its a wonderful world.
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