The failure of means-testing

The latest official figures from the Department for Work and Pensions show:

• There are up to 1.7m pensioners who are eligible, but do not receive the Pension Credit (ENR - eligible non-recipients). This represents a take-up rate of between 61%-70% - below the government’s stated target of 73%.
• 33% of these individuals (ENRs) are aged 80 or over.
• 2.5m pensioners in Britain are said to be living in poverty.
• 34% of ENRs are missing out on up to £60 a week in unclaimed benefits.
• Overall, up to £2.9bn in Pension Credit goes unclaimed.
• The Pension Credit take-up rate is the lowest in the East Midlands, London, the South East, South West, East of England and Wales where the number of pensioners who are eligible but don’t claim is higher than those actually receiving the benefit.