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Social Security (Miscellaneous Amendments) (No. 4) Regulations 2008

My Lords, the savings figure is still £170 million and the department is only required to do an impact assessment on changes that produce administrative savings of more than £5 million. The figure of £170 million represents a combined benefit and administrative costs saving. Obviously other benefit costs arise from this because of the extra support given to pensioners when they make their claims. I shall conclude with a response to a point put by the noble Lord, Lord Skelmersdale, about extending the period of temporary absence abroad to 13 weeks. The intention of this change, which had been campaigned for by Age Concern, is to allow the majority of those pension credit customers who go abroad temporarily to retain their entitlement and thus not have to go through the process of making a new claim when they return. We have no evidence to suggest that extending this period may lead to more abuse of public funds and we think the balance is about right. In conclusion, I urge noble Lords to look at this as a package of benefits and changes to backdating. In all these matters, we have to make a judgment on where the line should be drawn, and I believe that in the circumstances we have drawn it in the most appropriate place. I ask the noble Baroness not to press her Motion.