PENSION CREDIT

That this House notes with concern the length of time taken to process applications for pension credit with applicants being told that they will have to wait four months from submitting their application to receiving payments; recognises the huge benefit that pension credit has brought for millions of pensioners, helping to tackle pensioner poverty; expresses concern that take up of pension credit stands at 70 per cent. of all those entitled to the benefit; further notes that the delay in processing the payment will only deter people from claiming pension credit, adding further to the problem of take up and leaving thousands of pensioners without the money they deserve; and calls on the Government to take action now to speed up the process of payment so that pensioners do not have to wait four months to receive their entitlement.