The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has rejected calls to give people diagnosed with a terminal illness early access to their State Pension. Pensions Minister Laura Trott MP said access to the contributory social benefit “would not be appropriate”, but highlighted how people with a terminal diagnosis are given fast-tracked access to other benefits.
Her comments came after hearing strong arguments in favour of the move, led by SNP MP Dave Doogan, who has previously pressed the UK Government to allow people with less than one year to live, early access to their State Pension. People who reach the current retirement age of 66, who have made at least 10 years’ worth of National Insurance contributions are entitled to State Pension payments - to receive the full award, a person needs around 35 years.
Mr Doogan argued that the purpose of the State Pension is to “support all of us towards the end of life” but pointed out that people with a terminal illness are not entitled to draw on their State Pension, “regardless of their contributions, financial difficulties or personal or family situation”.
