UK pensions: Baroness Ros Altmann to be grilled by MPs on Monday regarding the ongoing inquiry into understanding the new state pension

Pensions minister Baroness Ros Altmann will face questions from the Work and Pensions Select Committee tomorrow as part of an ongoing inquiry into understanding the new state pension.

Last week, the Committee published an interim report, which warned that people were confused about when and how much they would receive under the new state pension regime, which will apply to those reaching state pension age from 6 April 2016 onwards.

The Committee is expected to grill the minister for her views on the report and what changes her department will be making to communications being sent to those nearing pension age in light of the report's findings.

The inquiry into understanding the new state pension was launched in October last year.

A Department for Work and Pensions spokesperson said:

“We are committed to ensuring that the public fully understands the changes being made to the state pension, that is why we launched a multimedia campaign in 2014, which will continue over the coming months and years.

“We’ve sent out about half a million new State Pension statements since first launching them in September, 2014. These statements include comprehensive information explaining the rules of the new scheme, and how we work out an individual’s estimate.”

When Morning Wire asked him what he thought was likely to come up tomorrow, Steve Webb, director of policy, Royal London, said:

“The Committee will be focusing on whether women were given adequate notice by successive governments about the big changes to their state pension age, and also about whether the new state pension has been properly communicated.

“I would expect Ros Altmann to highlight the fact that many older women actually benefit significantly from the new state pension and to encourage people to obtain personalised statements so that they know where they stand.”