Are the DWP going to contact people with less than 10 years NI to tell them they won't receive any state pension

The request was partially successful.

Dear Department for Work and Pensions,

Back in August last year i asked you the following.

Can you please let me have copies of any correspondence you have about why and how you reached the decision not to allow people who had not paid the minimum number of NI contributions (10) to receive any state pension if they reach state pension on and after 6 April 2016 under the single-tier pension especially as there was never a minimum requirement of NI contributions under the state second pension.

Can you please tell me if you have contacted these people or will before the single-tier pension starts and let me have a copy of what you have or will send out.

As people who reach state pension age under single-tier pension who have GMPs are not going to have the calculation done by which they receive increases via their state pension can you please let me have copies of any correspondence as to why and how the decision was made not to allow the calculation to be done by which people receive increases in excess of the increase on their actual state second pension.

Have you or are you going to contact people with GMPs to tell them that the DWP are no longer going to have the calculation done so that they will no longer receive increases in excess of the increase on their actual state second pension paid with their state pension.

Can you let me have a copy of the letter you have sent or will send about not doing the calculation as done for people who reach state pension age prior to 6 April 2016.

If you have not sent any letters to people as mentioned above can you please tell me when you will be sending them.

Your Reply
Our Ref: VTR 3495
Date: 14 October 2015

You said.

I confirm that the information you seek is held by the Department. However it engages an
exemption from disclosure because it relates to the formulation or development of government
policy – section 35(1)(a) of the Freedom of Information Act. This exemption protects the private
space within which Ministers and their policy advisers can develop policies without the risk of
premature disclosure.
The new State Pension is still to be implemented, from 6 April 2016, and further secondary
legislation is required to underpin the new system. Two sets of regulations will be required to describe the more detailed aspects of the closure of contracting out and these regulations will
need Parliamentary approval before the policy in these areas is finally settled. While we
understand the public interest in accessing information on policy development we believe that
the private space required by Ministers and officials to finalise policies in this area outweighs
the request for disclosure.
As required by the Act, I have also assessed the public interest for and against disclosure.
There is a public interest in greater transparency which makes government more accountable
to the electorate and increases trust. There is also a public interest in being able to assess the
quality of advice being given to ministers and subsequent decision making.
However, good government depends on good decision-making and this needs to be based on
the best advice available and a full consideration of all the options without fear of premature
disclosure. If this public interest cannot be protected there is a risk that decision-making will
become poorer and will be recorded inadequately
On balance, DWP is satisfied that in this instance the public interest in maintaining the
exemption outweighs the public interest in disclosure. Therefore, the information you seek will
not be released.
I can however provide you with some information regarding how the Department intends to
communicate the new State Pension.
The Department has a communication strategy for the new State Pension in advance of its
introduction on 6 April 2016. This includes making individuals and stakeholders aware of the
full range of issues arising from the introduction of the new State Pension, in line with the
information communicated by the National Audit Office. Some information on the new State
Pension is already available and this will be added to with different subjects coming out over
the coming months. We will make use of a range of media including factsheets, videos on
Pension tube, stakeholder engagement and a multi-channel communications campaign.

As the new state pension is up and running can you please tell me if you are now able to answer the questions I asked as I would have thought that by now you would have been contacting people in advance of their reaching state pension age to tell them about benefits that they are not going to receive under the new state pension.

Back in January 2015 I wrote to Margaret Hodge the then Chair of the Public Accounts Committee. She replied in March 2015 and told me that the National Audit Office (NAO)had been in contact with the DWP asking you to tell people about changes under the new state pension they will make them worse off compared to the state pension system in force prior to 6 April 2016. Can you tell me if you ever did this, and if so when you started writing and if you did not can you please tell me when you intend writing to people as mentioned in the correspondence to you by Neil Sayers a Director of the NAO

The recent reports by the NA O and Work and Pensions Committee also recommended that you contact people about changes that make them worse off.

Yours faithfully,

C. Thompson

DWP freedom-of-information-requests, Department for Work and Pensions

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DWP Strategy Freedom of Information, Department for Work and Pensions

Thank you for your Freedom of Information request.

You can expect a reply by 17 May 2016 unless I need to come back to you to clarify your request or the balance of the public interest test needs to be considered.

If you have any queries about this letter please contact me quoting the reference number above.

Yours sincerely

DWP Strategy FoI Team

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Your right to complain under the Freedom of Information Act

If you are not happy with this response you may request an internal review by e-mailing [DWP request email] or by writing to DWP, Central FoI Team,
Caxton House, Tothill Street, SW1H 9NA. Any review request should be submitted within two months of the date of this letter. Please remember to quote the reference number above in any future communications.

If you are not content with the outcome of the internal review you may apply directly to the Information Commissioner’s Office for a decision. Generally the Commissioner cannot make a decision unless you have exhausted our own complaints procedure. The Information Commissioner can be contacted at: The Information Commissioner’s Office, Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow Cheshire SK9 5AF
www.ico.org.uk/Global/contact_us or telephone 0303 123 1113 or 01625 545745

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DWP Strategy Freedom of Information, Department for Work and Pensions

1 Attachment

Please see the attached reply to your Freedom of Information request

Yours sincerely

DWP Strategy FoI team

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Dear DWP Strategy Freedom of Information,

Thank you for your reply.

You state the following.

You are requesting information about the communication of the Minimum Qualifying Period
and the end of the additional State Pension/Contracted out Deduction calculation which can
have the effect of indexing the Guaranteed Minimum Pension. We have already provided you
with our communications strategy in our reply to your previous Freedom of Information
request, as quoted by you above.
Similarly in this reply we addressed your other request regarding the correspondence leading
to the decision to end the additional State Pension/Contracted out Deduction calculation.

All you said previously was that:

The Department has a communication strategy for the new State Pension in advance of its
introduction on 6 April 2016. This includes making individuals and stakeholders aware of the
full range of issues arising from the introduction of the new State Pension, in line with the
information communicated by the National Audit Office. Some information on the new State
Pension is already available and this will be added to with different subjects coming out over
the coming months. We will make use of a range of media including factsheets, videos on
Pension tube, stakeholder engagement and a multi-channel communications campaign.

That was only a reply as to what you were going to do and not a reply to my question asking the following;

Dear Mr Thompson,
Thank you for your Freedom of Information request of 18th April 2016. You asked:
Back in August last year i asked you the following.

A) Can you please let me have copies of any correspondence you have about why and how you
reached the decision not to allow people who had not paid the minimum number of NI
contributions (10) to receive any state pension if they reach state pension on and after 6 April
2016 under the single-tier pension especially as there was never a minimum requirement of NI
contributions under the state second pension.

B) Can you please tell me if you have contacted these people or will before the single-tier pension
starts and let me have a copy of what you have or will send out.

C) As people who reach state pension age under single-tier pension who have GMPs are not
going to have the calculation done by which they receive increases via their state pension can
you please let me have copies of any correspondence as to why and how the decision was
made not to allow the calculation to be done by which people receive increases in excess of
the increase on their actual state second pension.

D) Have you or are you going to contact people with GMPs to tell them that the DWP are no
longer going to have the calculation done so that they will no longer receive increases in
excess of the increase on their actual state second pension paid with their state pension.

E) Can you let me have a copy of the letter you have sent or will send about not doing the
calculation as done for people who reach state pension age prior to 6 April 2016.
If you have not sent any letters to people as mentioned above can you please tell me when
you will be sending them.

Your Reply
Our Ref: VTR 3495
Date: 14 October 2015

You have not answered any of the question A to E or sent me the requested information in the paragraphs A to E above so please answer them and send the requested information and not just tell me what you might do sometime in the future.

This includes making individuals and stakeholders aware of the full range of issues arising from the introduction of the new State Pension, in line with the information communicated by the National Audit Office.

Can you send me copies of what you sent to individuals and stakeholders to make them aware of the full range of issues arising from the introduction of the new State Pension, in line with the information communicated by the National Audit Office.

I am asking about any information that you have sent to people reaching state pension age on and after 6 April 2016, not what you are putting on the internet or in booklets that were not asked for by people.,

Yours sincerely,

C. Thompson

DWP Strategy Freedom of Information, Department for Work and Pensions

Thank you for your Freedom of Information review request.

Please note that it is our internal target to answer reviews within 20 working days unless I need to come back to you to clarify your request, or the balance of the public interest test needs to be considered which we will keep you informed about.

If you have any queries about this letter please contact me quoting the reference number above.

Yours sincerely

DWP Strategy FoI Team

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Your right to complain under the Freedom of Information Act

If you are not happy with this response you may request an internal review by e-mailing [DWP request email] or by writing to DWP, Central FoI Team,
Caxton House, Tothill Street, SW1H 9NA. Any review request should be submitted within two months of the date of this letter. Please remember to quote the reference number above in any future communications.

If you are not content with the outcome of the internal review you may apply directly to the Information Commissioner’s Office for a decision. Generally the Commissioner cannot make a decision unless you have exhausted our own complaints procedure. The Information Commissioner can be contacted at: The Information Commissioner’s Office, Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow Cheshire SK9 5AF
www.ico.org.uk/Global/contact_us or telephone 0303 123 1113 or 01625 545745

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DWP Strategy Freedom of Information, Department for Work and Pensions

1 Attachment

Please see the attached reply to your Freedom of Information request.
 

Yours sincerely

DWP Strategy FoI team

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Dear DWP Strategy Freedom of Information,

Thank you for your reply.

1) Can you please tell me why you say for requests outlined in (A) and (C) that you can't give me the information because it relates too formulation or development of this policy if as you now know the new state pension started on April 2016. How can you be formulating or development of government policy for something that started on 6 April 2016.
1a) Does this mean for A and C you have not written to written to anyone prior to 6 April 2016 to tell them to tell them about the changes.

1b) You state the Department needs space for a short time after the introduction of the new arrangements in order to properly promote, explain and defend its approach in these areas.
Can you tell me roughly how long this will be?.

2)You state that the information I requested in (B) (D) and (E) is held but you can't release it because the information is intended for publication at a future date.

2a Can you give me a rough idea of when you expect to publish the information.

2b Can you tell me when you are going to write to people to tell them about the changes that will make them worse off as mentioned in B,D, and E.

2c Have you written to anyone to tell them about their losses?

Yours sincerely,

C. Thompson

DWP Strategy Freedom of Information, Department for Work and Pensions

Thank you for your Freedom of Information request.

You can expect a reply by 15 July 2016 unless I need to come back to you to clarify your request or the balance of the public interest test needs to be considered.

If you have any queries about this letter please contact me quoting the reference number above.

Yours sincerely

DWP Strategy FoI Team

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Your right to complain under the Freedom of Information Act

If you are not happy with this response you may request an internal review by e-mailing [DWP request email] or by writing to DWP, Central FoI Team,
Caxton House, Tothill Street, SW1H 9NA. Any review request should be submitted within two months of the date of this letter. Please remember to quote the reference number above in any future communications.

If you are not content with the outcome of the internal review you may apply directly to the Information Commissioner’s Office for a decision. Generally the Commissioner cannot make a decision unless you have exhausted our own complaints procedure. The Information Commissioner can be contacted at: The Information Commissioner’s Office, Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow Cheshire SK9 5AF
www.ico.org.uk/Global/contact_us or telephone 0303 123 1113 or 01625 545745

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DWP Strategy Freedom of Information, Department for Work and Pensions

1 Attachment

Please see the attached reply to your Freedom of Information request.
 

Yours sincerely

DWP Strategy FoI team

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Dear DWP Strategy Freedom of Information,

Thank you for your reply of 15 July 2016. I am still not satisfied with your explanation that " Guaranteed Minimum Pensions (GMPs). The majority of those who built up a GMP during the period 1978 to 1988 will not be disadvantaged by the changes, because of the interaction with other parts of the pension reforms. Evidence from our latest impact assessment is that by 2020, 75% of people with a pre-1988 GMP will gain from the new State Pension (with an average gain of £4 a week) and around 25% of people will lose (with an average loss of £2 a week."

Can you please explain why the Treasury announced on 1 March 2016 "Individuals in the Public Sector who reach State Pension age from 6 April 2016 for individuals who reach State Pension age on or after 6 April 2016 and before 6 December 2018 inclusive, public service pension schemes will fully price protect the GMP element of will not be disadvantaged by the changes, because of the interaction with other parts of the pension reforms.

They would not have needed to announce this if most people were not to lose out. Notice the Treasury said

TREASURY April 2016
Guidance on the operation of pensions increase legislation for public service pension schemes:

https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/sy...

To avoid the double indexation of the GMP element of official pensions, section 59(5) of the Social Security Pensions Act 1975 requires the pension paying authority before increasing a pension which includes a GMP to deduct the amount of the GMP from the amount to be increased.

Please note that on page 44 of the Treasury announcement it mentions, "To avoid the double indexation of the GMP element of official pensions, section 59(5) of the Social Security Pensions Act 1975 requires the pension paying authority before increasing a pension which includes a GMP to deduct the amount of the GMP from the amount to be increased.."

Can you please explain why people in the public sector are being allowed to receive their GMP increases twice if they reach state pension age on and after 6 April 2016 and before 6 December 2018 as you state " The majority of those who built up a GMP during the period 1978 to 1988 will not be disadvantaged by the changes.

You then go on to say "Given the current evidence on the ineffectiveness of direct mail as a communications tool, we believe that our strategy should continue to direct people to the detailed information on GOV.UK "
Can you give me a link to where GOV.UK mentions people will no longer receive GMP increases that used to be paid via the state pension under the old system.

When people ask for a forecast of their new State Pension at State Pension age can you tell me if it mentions they won't receive GMP increases via the state pension and if it is also going to be mentioned in the booklet sent out with the forecast.

Have you a system in place to tell all the contracted out pension schemes that their members will not receive GMP increases via their state pension if they reach state pension age on and after 6 April 2016 and have also contacted the Pensions and Lifetime Savings Association to keep them informed about non payment of GMP increases so that they can tell their members to tell the members of their pension schemes that GMP increases will not be paid.

I do have some correspondence from the Treasury where they mentioned that they were in contact with your office about non payment of GMP increases under the New State Pension at least as early as about January 2012.

DWP Strategy Freedom of Information, Department for Work and Pensions

Thank you for your Freedom of Information request.

You can expect a reply by 12 August 2016 unless I need to come back to you to clarify your request or the balance of the public interest test needs to be considered.

If you have any queries about this letter please contact me quoting the reference number above.

Yours sincerely

DWP Strategy FoI Team

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Your right to complain under the Freedom of Information Act

If you are not happy with this response you may request an internal review by e-mailing [DWP request email] or by writing to DWP, Central FoI Team,
Caxton House, Tothill Street, SW1H 9NA. Any review request should be submitted within two months of the date of this letter. Please remember to quote the reference number above in any future communications.

If you are not content with the outcome of the internal review you may apply directly to the Information Commissioner’s Office for a decision. Generally the Commissioner cannot make a decision unless you have exhausted our own complaints procedure. The Information Commissioner can be contacted at: The Information Commissioner’s Office, Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow Cheshire SK9 5AF
www.ico.org.uk/Global/contact_us or telephone 0303 123 1113 or 01625 545745

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DWP Strategy Freedom of Information, Department for Work and Pensions

1 Attachment

Please find attached the reply to your Freedom of Information request.
 

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