The most recent figures available from the Northern Ireland Income Related Survey indicate that 83% of people eligible to Pension Credit, over 117,000, are currently receiving more than £250million in benefits. This is a notable increase from 2003/5 when only 67% claimed it and provides further evidence of increasing levels of benefit uptake.
Margaret Ritchie said: “This is good news for pensioners that shows how benefit uptake initiatives by the Social Security Agency are having a positive impact.
“Since I have taken up office, I have stressed the need to ensure benefit recipients, and in particular pensioners, receive everything they are entitled to.”
The Minister re-affirmed her commitment to improving benefit uptake and said: “I am not complacent. Last May I launched the Social Security Agency’s 2007/8 Benefit Uptake programme which is targeting over 150,000 older people to ensure they are receiving their full entitlement benefit, including Pension Credit.
“Obviously, the success of campaigns in the past two years which generated over £7million has helped many pensioners and some of the most vulnerable people in society. In April I intend to launch a new campaign to further raise benefit uptake, specifically targeting vulnerable groups including elderly people and disabled people.”
Notes to Editors:
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