Stopping pensioners' money without notice - outrageous - Simon Hughes

12.00.00am BST (GMT +0100) Tue 1st Sep 2009

Simon Hughes, Liberal Democrat MP for North Southwark and Bermondsey, has taken up the case of a Bermondsey pensioner whose state pension payments were suspended without warning. The pensioner's daughter went to collect his pension for him, only to find that there was nothing for him. The married pensioner, who has lived in Bermondsey all his life, was told that sometimes pensions are suspended so that 'random system checks' can be carried out. The seventy nine year old, who is also disabled, then was without any pension payments for 14 days and, not surprisingly, struggled to make ends meet.

Reacting to the actions of the Pension Service, Simon Hughes said this week,

"I am outraged to hear that pensioners, who have made payments towards their pension for their whole life, can suddenly find their income has been suspended for no reason to do with them - and with no explanation. The Pension Service is now clearly putting bureaucracy before the welfare of elderly citizens. It is unacceptable to suspend payments to pensioners, some of whom are disabled or vulnerable and entirely dependent on their state pension payments.

"This action raises several questions.

• Why did my constituent's payments have to be suspended while checks were carried out?

• Why was he not warned in advance that this would happen?

• How many other pensioners have been treated in this way?

"I have complained in the strongest terms to the manager of the London Pension Service and asked that no other pensioners are subjected to this unfair treatment. I shall also pursue this matter with ministers in the House of Commons."