Liberal Democrats : Pensions and Benefits News Feed

]> Liberal Democrats : Pensions and Benefits News Feed http://www.libdems.org.uk/benefits RSS News provided by Liberal Democrats en-gb Fri, 4 Jul 2008 02:12:01 +0100 Copyright Liberal Democrats Liberal Democrats In house Ministers turn blind eye to costly mistakes - Willott http://www.libdems.org.uk/benefits/story.html?id=14618 New figures released today show that the Department for Work and Pensions has been forced to spend £52m compensating people for mistakes made over the last 6 years. Commenting, Liberal Democrat Shadow Work and Pensions Secretary, Jenny Willott said: "These figures reveal how endemic and costly official error is at the DWP. Ministers have turned a blind eye as the cost of these mistakes has risen. "Not only is it hurting the public purse, it is hurting those most in need who rely on these payments to make ends meet. "The benefits system is so complex that even officials don’t understand it. It must be simplified to cut out the mistakes and fraud that are proving so costly to the taxpayer." Thu, 3 Jul 2008 00:00:00 +0100 Decline in pension schemes a worrying trend - Willott http://www.libdems.org.uk/benefits/story.html?id=14607 Commenting on new figures from the Office of National Statistics, which show that the number of private sector workers that are members of occupational pension schemes has fallen by 400,000 since last year, Liberal Democrat Shadow Work and Pensions Secretary, Jenny Willott said: "This is an extremely worrying trend. All the evidence shows that people need to be saving more and saving earlier in order to have a decent standard of living when they retire. Unfortunately, these figures suggest that the reverse may be happening. "At a time when people’s minds will be focused on immediate financial pressures, it is vital that the Government encourages people to build up pension savings to avoid financial hardship in retirement. "At the same time, innovation must be encouraged to ensure employers can continue to offer competitive schemes - this will be increasingly difficult in an economic downturn." Wed, 2 Jul 2008 00:00:00 +0100 Government must simplify tax credits system - Willott http://www.libdems.org.uk/benefits/story.html?id=14575 Commenting on today’s report on tax credits from the Joseph Rowntree Foundation, Liberal Democrat Shadow Work and Pensions Secretary, Jenny Willott said: "This report underlines how the complexity of our benefits and tax credits system is undermining efforts to get people back into work and to reduce poverty. "Before the Government embarks on another round of welfare reforms, it should first focus on improving the existing system, with a big effort to simplify benefits and their delivery. "Making the system more simple and streamlined would go a long way towards getting rid of the problems described in this report." Mon, 30 Jun 2008 00:00:00 +0100 Tories won't pledge a penny now to pensioners - Oakeshott http://www.libdems.org.uk/benefits/story.html?id=14545 The re-linking of the state pension to earnings moved a step further away today after Conservatives in the House of Lords abstained on a key vote. The Liberal Democrat amendment would have linked the state pension to earnings, not prices, by April 2012 at the latest. There is now no set date for the earnings link to be restored. The Government opposed the amendment. Commenting on the result, Liberal Democrat Work and Pensions Spokesperson Lord (Matthew) Oakeshott said, “Conservative peers sat on their hands today when their votes would have forced the government to bring back the earnings link for pensions within 4 years. “The Tories can find £4billion to scrap stamp duty on share dealings for their city friends but they won’t pledge a penny now for pensioners.” Tue, 24 Jun 2008 00:00:00 +0100 Rise in child poverty damning indictment of Government - Willott http://www.libdems.org.uk/benefits/story.html?id=14457 Commenting on Government figures released today which reveal the number of children living in poverty has increased by 100,000, Liberal Democrat Shadow Work and Pensions Secretary, Jenny Willott said: "The rise in child poverty for the second year running is a damning indictment of Labour and raises serious questions about the Government’s spending priorities. "It is impossible to understand why, as one of the wealthiest countries in the world, Britain should have one in five of its children living in poverty. "The target of halving child poverty by 2010 is looking increasingly unachievable, and ministers must act quickly to regain momentum. "Unfortunately, options are limited thanks to the 10p tax debacle which has left Gordon Brown with little in the bank to offer the millions of overstretched families struggling to make ends meet." Tue, 10 Jun 2008 00:00:00 +0100 Poverty statistics highlight pension inadequacy - Willott http://www.libdems.org.uk/benefits/story.html?id=14455 Commenting on today’s Government figures that reveal 300,000 more pensioners are living in poverty, Liberal Democrat Shadow Work and Pensions Secretary, Jenny Willott said: "It is incredible to think that after 11 years of Labour Government, inequality is actually getting worse. "The huge increase in pensioner poverty highlights the fundamental inadequacy of the basic state pension. "As the value of the basic state pension falls, pensioners are finding it increasingly difficult to make ends meet. "Ministers have abandoned targets intended to ensure the poorest pensioners claim the extra money they are entitled to. The Government must re-double its efforts to end pensioner poverty, and restore the link between pensions and earnings immediately." Tue, 10 Jun 2008 00:00:00 +0100 Rise in child poverty damning indictment of Government - Willott http://www.libdems.org.uk/benefits/story.html?id=14452 Commenting on Government figures released today which reveal the number of children living in poverty has increased by 100,000, Liberal Democrat Shadow Work and Pensions Secretary, Jenny Willott said: "The rise in child poverty for the second year running is a damning indictment of Labour and raises serious questions about the Government’s spending priorities. "It is impossible to understand why, as one of the wealthiest countries in the world, Britain should have one in five of its children living in poverty. "The target of halving child poverty by 2010 is looking increasingly unachievable, and ministers must act quickly to regain momentum. "Unfortunately, options are limited thanks to the 10p tax debacle which has left Gordon Brown with little in the bank to offer the millions of overstretched families struggling to make ends meet." Tue, 10 Jun 2008 00:00:00 +0100 Risk sharing pension schemes should be explored - Willott http://www.libdems.org.uk/benefits/story.html?id=14422 Commenting on the Department of Work and Pension’s consultation on ‘Risk Sharing’, part of the review of private pensions, Liberal Democrat Shadow Work and Pensions Secretary, Jenny Willott said: "This consultation is a welcome initiative from the Government. Regulation that protects scheme members does not have to stifle innovation in the pensions market. "Risk sharing schemes can deliver more for many people in their retirement and should be explored. "However, the Government should also be increasing the provision of advice nationwide. Consumers need access to more and better information to make the right choices for their pensions." Fri, 6 Jun 2008 00:00:00 +0100 Government's strategy on data protection a shambles - Alexander http://www.libdems.org.uk/benefits/story.html?id=14316 Commenting on reports that staff at the Department for Work and Pensions have been sending out highly sensitive data in packages that include the passwords, Liberal Democrat Shadow Work and Pensions Secretary, Danny Alexander said: "The Government’s strategy for protecting citizens’ personal information is a shambles. "We’ve had mislaid CDs, lost laptops and now passwords are being circulated with the information they are supposed to protect. "Data protection is being undermined across Whitehall - the very idea that this Government could be responsible for an ID card database is a joke." Fri, 9 May 2008 00:00:00 +0100 Scottish Government veterans' fund tokenistic and miserly - Rennie http://www.libdems.org.uk/benefits/story.html?id=14317 Commenting on today's announcement by the Scottish Government on the details of its veterans' fund, which will total just £127,000 over three years, Liberal Democrat Defence Spokesperson, Willie Rennie said:   "This is a tokenistic and miserly sum, considering the sacrifices Scotland's service personnel have made over the years.   "Our brave veterans have put their lives on the line, but a fund so small is an insult for the sake of cheap political point-scoring."   Tue, 6 May 2008 00:00:00 +0100 Government benefits system penalises low earners - Alexander http://www.libdems.org.uk/benefits/story.html?id=14222 Commenting on the publication today of a study by the Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) that has called for the UK’s tax credit system to be completely overhauled, Liberal Democrat Shadow Work and Pensions Secretary, Danny Alexander said: "Gordon Brown’s pledge to support working families is looking more superficial by the minute. "The Prime Minister must come clean about the real impact of his Tax Credits system; it gives with one hand and takes with the other. Ending the 10p tax rate means the Government is taking even more from low-income families. "It is grossly unfair that families who want to work harder have so little to show for it thanks to a system of complex, means-tested benefits. "The benefits system needs to be radically simplified to ensure work really does pay, instead of trapping families on low incomes." Tue, 22 Apr 2008 00:00:00 +0100 Gordon Brown must come clean on pensions - Alexander http://www.libdems.org.uk/benefits/story.html?id=14184 Commenting on the Pension Trends report that was released today by the Office of National Statistics, Liberal Democrat Shadow Work and Pensions Secretary, Danny Alexander said: "These figures highlight the worrying tendency of increasing numbers of people to neglect saving for their retirement. "The Government must be clear that relying on the derisory basic state pension will not give people the standard of living in retirement that they may imagine. "Personal Accounts may lesson this problem but only if Gordon Brown comes clean about the extent to which his complex means-tested benefits could hit those who save. "Reforming the state pension system is not enough. The Government must ensure that the best occupational pension schemes are not forced to close by supporting the private pension industry to stay competitive." Mon, 14 Apr 2008 00:00:00 +0100 Incapacity benefit claimants abroad cost UK taxpayers 1m a week - Alexander http://www.libdems.org.uk/benefits/story.html?id=14130 Since 1998 over 109,000 people have claimed incapacity benefit while living abroad, at a cost of £1m a week to UK taxpayers, according to new research revealed by the Liberal Democrats. The cost to the taxpayer in the past ten years has been almost half a billion pounds. Commenting, Liberal Democrat Shadow Work and Pensions Secretary, Danny Alexander said: "It is issues such as this that leave hard-working people feeling the whole benefits system is unjust. "It completely goes against people’s sense of fairness that UK benefits are paid to those who move abroad and benefit from lower living costs at the expense of taxpayers. "If we ever want to have a rational debate about the welfare state in this country we must address the irrationalities and unfairness that clearly exists in the system." Thu, 3 Apr 2008 00:00:00 +0100 DWP losing the plot on tackling fraud - Alexander http://www.libdems.org.uk/benefits/story.html?id=14129 Responding to the news that the Department for Work and Pensions has mistakenly published a report detailing the security lapses of Luton council’s benefits system, Liberal Democrat Shadow Work and Pensions Secretary, Danny Alexander said: "The Department is clearly losing the plot on tackling fraud - it has spent millions combating fraud in the benefits system yet signposts fraudsters to weakness in the system. "How can the department tackle fraud effectively when it persists in making the most basic errors? "Until the Government can prove itself capable of handling sensitive data, it cannot possibly expect people to be willing to go onto a DNA database." Thu, 3 Apr 2008 00:00:00 +0100 Government assessments for benefits claimants ignore lack of support - Alexander http://www.libdems.org.uk/benefits/story.html?id=14045 Responding to concerns expressed by charities about the Government’s plan announced in yesterday’s Budget to extend a new eligibility test to all incapacity benefit recipients, Liberal Democrat Shadow Work and Pensions Secretary, Danny Alexander said: "Disabled people are understandably cynical about proposals from a government that continually emphasises tough measures against benefit claimants, when what is needed is targeted support to get the millions of disabled people who want to work into jobs. "Undergoing the assessment could deliver benefits but it will not change the fact that many claimants need specialist help to overcome mental health problems and disabilities, which is still severely lacking. "The Government should focus on providing more personalised support for claimants to get them back into long-term work." Thu, 13 Mar 2008 00:00:00 +0000