To ask Her Majesty's Government how many people over the age of retirement are in receipt of the Unemployability Supplement from the War Pension Scheme; and how many such people were in receipt of it on 31 March 2006. [HL5367]

As at 30 June 2009 there were 4,400 disablement pensioners over retirement age (65 for men and 60 for women) receiving an ongoing war pension and unemployability supplement under the War Pension Scheme. Of these 3,825 were also receiving an ongoing war pension and unemployability supplement as at 31 March 2006. These figures are rounded to the nearest five.

Table 1: Disablement Pensioners receiving an ongoing war pension and unemployability supplement as at 30 June 2009 and 31 March 2006

(1) In line with the current National retirement age, females have been included from the age of 60, and males have been included from the age of 65

To ask Her Majesty's Government how many arrears payments have been made by the Service Personnel and Veterans Agency to war pensioners over the age of retirement in receipt of the Unemployability Supplement from the War Pension Scheme due to the differing rates of the Unemployability Supplement and the basic rate of the state pension between 8 April 2006 and 6 April 2008. [HL5368]

There were no arrears of payment of Unemployability Supplement due or made by the Service Personnel and Veterans Agency as a result of this issue. The resultant arrears accrued in the state pension payment, falls within the responsibilities of the Department for Work and Pensions.