People reaching retirement age have not been properly informed on how pension reforms affect them, Government admits

  • Pensions Minister Baroness Altmann said 'the job of explaining to people how the reforms will affect them hasn't been done well enough'
  • She announced a new publicity campaign of advertisements and leaflets 
  • Plan is to inform people within 10 years of state pension age about how the reforms can affect them

By Rosie Taylor for the Daily Mail

Published: 19:00 EST, 18 September 2015 | Updated: 02:11 EST, 19 September 2015

People reaching retirement age have not been properly informed how changes to the state pension will affect them, the Government has admitted.

Pensions Minister Baroness Altmann said yesterday that 'the job of explaining to people how the reforms will affect them hasn't been done well enough'.

She announced a new publicity campaign of advertisements and leaflets to inform people within 10 years of state pension age about how the reforms can affect them.

Target: People reaching retirement are have not been properly informed how changes to the state pension will affect them, the Government has admitted (file photo)

Target: People reaching retirement are have not been properly informed how changes to the state pension will affect them, the Government has admitted (file photo)

The introduction of a flat-rate state pension from next April was supposed to make pensions easier to understand, but the Government has been accused of misleading people after it was revealed thousands would not get the full amount of £155 a week.

Changes: George Osborne made sweeping changes to the pensions market in last year's budget

Changes: George Osborne made sweeping changes to the pensions market in last year's budget

Baroness Altmann, said: 'Huge efforts have been put into reforming the mind-blowingly complicated State Pension system that exists today into something that, over time, will be clearer and fairer for everybody.

'But the job of explaining to people how the reforms will affect them hasn't been done well enough.'

Yesterday charities welcomed the move, just six months before reforms kick in, but criticised it for being too late.

Andrew Tully, of Retirement Advantage, said: 'It has been obvious for some time that the changes coming in are at best simply confusing. Which makes it all the more disappointing that only now are we seeing plans being announced to hopefully communicate the changes properly. Given we are only are only a few months away, it doesn't give anyone much time to plan accordingly.'

Alan Higham, of PensionsChamp.com, said: 'It is a welcome admission but it will take a significant PR effort to overcome the damage previous briefings have done.'