The Pension Service is undertaking a wide range of steps to encourage eligible pensioners to claim pension credit.
We are writing to everyone who we believe may have an entitlement to pension credit, encouraging them to apply and advising how the Pension Service can help them do so. Over 2 million mailings are planned through 2006-07.
We are broadening the appeal of pension credit by focusing our contacts with pensioners much more on their needs as a whole. The Pension Service Local Service offers face-to-face visits to the most eligible and vulnerable pensioners during which full benefit entitlement checks are carried out. One million home visits will be carried out during 2006-07.
The Pension Service Local Service is continuing to work very closely with local partners (including local authorities as well as voluntary organisations such as Help the Aged and Age Concern) to maximise take-up of pension credit for pensioners. We are widening the scope of partnership activity and expanding our current work programme with key utilities and other major companies whose customers include likely eligible non-recipients to pension credit. These activities are being supported by national press advertising to maintain the high profile of pension credit. Local marketing and media campaigns will be targeted in those regions and areas where there are relatively high numbers of eligible non-recipients.
In addition, we are improving our service and encouraging take-up by enabling new customers who call to claim their state pension, to also apply for pension credit, housing benefit and council tax benefit in a single call if appropriate.
The programme for the future transformation of the Pension Service enables customer advisers to encourage take-up of pension credit when customers call to notify key changes of circumstance.