Petition Stop Means Testing Pensioners and increase the State Pension
We demand the government stop means testing pensioners, that we think is a degrading and humiliating practice. We also think the state pension should be increased.
We believe that for too long, our elderly have been portrayed by media as merely burdens on the NHS and the modern welfare state.
More details
We think that the elderly should be entitled to a decent pension and a comfortable lifestyle as many will have already paid into the system for longer than the rest of the population by now. We believe any Government should have a responsibility toward our nation's elderly people.
In the Victorian era, retirement was often only an option for those who had accrued wealth. Are we regressing back to those Dickensian times?
We believe means testing is an abhorrent practice that is demeaning and intrusive.
13,863 signatures
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100,000 signatures required to be considered for a debate in Parliament
Government responded
This response was given on 27 January 2025
Our commitment to the Triple Lock throughout this Parliament will increase the State Pension by up to £1,900 a year by its end. The Government does not and will not means-test the State Pension.
Read the response in full
The Government is committed to supporting current and future generations of pensioners and giving them the dignity and security they deserve in retirement. There is no means test for the State Pension, and this Government will never introduce one.
We have made a commitment to the Triple Lock for the entirety of this Parliament which means spending on people’s State Pensions is forecast to rise by over £31 billion. Our commitment means millions of pensioners are set to see their State Pension rise by up to £1,900 a year by the end of this Parliament. Protecting the Triple Lock even in the current economic climate shows our steadfast commitment to pensioners.
Given the substantial pressures faced by the public finances, the Government has had to make difficult decisions to bring the public finances back under control. This includes the decision to target the Winter Fuel Payment on low-income pensioners who need it most.
It is because this Government has taken tough but fair decisions to put the public finances on a stable footing that it has been possible to invest an extra £22.6bn in day-to-day health spending in England over this financial year and next with consequential funding increases for the Welsh and Scottish Governments. We are committed to investing in and reforming the health service so that it delivers the care that older generations in particular deserve. The new State Pension was introduced in April 2016 with the aim of providing a clearer, sustainable foundation for private saving. The full rate of £221.20 per week (2024/25) was set above the Standard Minimum Guarantee level of Pension Credit, to remove disincentives to save.
Removing previous savings disincentives by reducing the interaction between private pension income and means-tested benefits for those with modest incomes, has enabled pensioners to see greater benefits from their retirement savings or income.
Together, the new State Pension and Automatic Enrolment to workplace savings provide a robust system for retirement provision for decades to come. Pension Credit will continue to provide an important safety net for those who need it.
Department for Work and Pensions
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At 100,000 signatures, this petition will be considered for debate in Parliament
Related activity
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Inquiry on Pensioner Poverty
MPs on the Work and Pensions Committee have launched an inquiry: “Pensioner Poverty: challenges and mitigations".
The Committee is considering issues including:
- Which groups are most affected
- The impact on health
- How current measures can mitigate risks
- How measures vary in the devolved nations.
What happens next?
The Committee will hear from people with experience and understanding of the subject.
It will then consider the evidence it has taken and publish a report of its findings. This will include recommendations to the Government on any changes that might be needed.
Further information:
What is the Work and Pensions Committee?
The Committee is a group of MPs from different political parties. It looks at the work of the government department responsible for work and pensions.
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Government support for pensioners: debate in Parliament
On Wednesday 12 February, MPs debated Government support for pensioners in Parliament.
This was a Westminster Hall debate led by Blake Stephenson MP. Work and Pensions Minister Torsten Bell MP responded on behalf of the Government.
Explainer
Westminster Hall debates give MPs an opportunity to debate a topic of their choice, and receive a response from the Government.
They are a way to:
• Raise awareness of an issue
• Seek to influence government policy
• Put the views of a backbench MPs, political parties, and the Government on record.They do not involve a vote on a particular action or decision.
See our visual explainer on how these debates work.
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