Stormont minister calls for terminally ill to be allowed state pension early
A Stormont minister has urged the UK Government to allow the terminally ill early access to their state pension.
Communities Minister Gordon Lyons said it is imperative that Government does more to ensure financial security and dignity for people in their final months of life.
The measure – proposed by the end-of-life charity Marie Curie – would allow terminally ill individuals to claim their state pension based on national insurance contributions, topped up to at least pension credit-level.
Figures from the charity's Dying In Poverty campaign show that around 111,000 people die in poverty each year in the UK, with more than one-in-four working-age individuals facing financial hardship in their final year.
Mr Lyons has written to pensions minister Torsten Bell to press for action.
'It is imperative that we do more to ensure financial security and dignity for people in their final months of life and I am urging Minister Bell to take decisive action on this issue,' he said.
'A terminal diagnosis should not be accompanied by the added burden of financial hardship but unfortunately this is the stark – and unacceptable – reality for too many.
'Marie Curie's compassionate and practical solution would allow terminally ill individuals to access the state pension early, providing much-needed financial stability and some peace of mind during the most difficult of times.'
On March 31, the Northern Ireland Assembly unanimously backed a private member's motion urging the UK to implement legislative changes that would enable those with a terminal diagnosis to access their state pension early.
It is understood that these issues may be tackled in the UK Government's new Pension Schemes Bill.
Mr Lyons said he has committed to engaging with the Department for Work and Pensions on behalf of those diagnosed with a terminal illness and to advocating for greater support.
He added: 'I am urging the UK Government to act swiftly and compassionately to deliver meaningful change on early access to state pensions.
'No-one should be facing their final months with the added burden of financial distress and I will continue to press for a fair and compassionate system that meets the needs of those who are most vulnerable.'
A government spokesperson said: 'No-one should suffer financial hardship because of a health condition, especially people nearing the end of life.
'And our special rules unlock early access to certain benefits and support systems for those nearing the end of their lives.
'Our Pension Schemes Bill will increase the life expectancy threshold for support from six to 12 months, giving more people the help they need at the hardest time of life.'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Rhyl Journal
an hour ago
- Rhyl Journal
Hospitals could run GP surgeries under NHS reforms
Wes Streeting said the forthcoming 10 year health plan would also see 'much of what's done in a hospital today, will be done on the high street'. But he stressed the Government was 'not embarking on another top-down reorganisation' of the health service. The plan is expected to be published in July. Speaking at the NHS ConfedExpo conference in Manchester, Mr Streeting said: 'The NHS should not be bound by traditional expectations of how services should be arranged. Nearly a quarter of a million off NHS waiting lists. Lowest level in two years. And the first time they've fallen in April in 17 years! Lots done, lots to do. We're delivering our Plan for Change. I won't rest until the job is done. — Wes Streeting (@wesstreeting) June 12, 2025 'I am open to our strongest acute trusts providing not just community services, as many already do, but also primary care. 'Whatever services will enable them to meet the needs of their patients in a more integrated and efficient way. 'Indeed, I would hope that those old-fashioned labels – acute, community – become increasingly meaningless. 'Likewise, there is no reason why successful GPs should not be able to run local hospitals, or why nurses should not be leading neighbourhood health services.' Mr Streeting talked about the 'jeopardy' facing the NHS, adding: 'Just as public satisfaction has plunged to its lowest level on record, major political parties have begun to question the very existence of a publicly funded universal healthcare system free at the point of need. 'And I can almost feel them willing us on to fail, because if all of us fail in our mission to turn the NHS around, the vultures on the populist rivals swoop in for the kill. 'The NHS is in a fight for its life but nothing I have experienced in my first 11 months in office have shaken my conviction or confidence that this is a fight we will win.' Meanwhile he spoke about the spending review, likening himself to the survivor in the popular book series, The Hunger Games. 'Yesterday's spending review was a vital moment on that journey,' he said. 'There have been broadly two sorts of reactions to this. The first, mainly from the media and the public – '£29 billion is a hell of a lot of money'; the second, mainly from our think tank friends – '£29 billion is nowhere near enough'. The truth is, both are right. 'It is objectively a substantial funding settlement that puts wind in our sails. But investment alone isn't enough. 'There is no fix to the NHS's problems that simply pours more money into a broken system. 'It is only through the combination of investment and reform that we will succeed in getting the NHS back on its feet and making make it fit for the future.' He told delegates at the conference: 'Despite my best efforts at the Cabinet yesterday morning before the spending review announcement, to put the blame on John Healey the Defence Secretary for the squeeze on other government departments, none of my colleagues were buying. 'In fact, one permanent secretary once referred to me as the Katniss Everdeen of The Hunger Games. 'We're a Labour Government – the NHS is all of our priorities, and there isn't a single person sat with me around the Cabinet table who doesn't value what you're doing, doesn't underestimate the scale of the task that we have ahead of us, and they are all rooting for us to succeed, every single one of them.' Commenting on the speech, Matthew Taylor, chief executive of the NHS Confederation, said: 'The Secretary of State is right that the divides between acute, primary, community are already being broken down, supported by the work of integrated care boards. 'Redesigning services is essential to the future of the NHS and many providers are already breaking down their traditional silos to offer patients truly personalised and integrated care.' He added: 'The extra funding announced at the spending review is very welcome and, as Mr Streeting says, it is both a lot of money and not enough. 'Many of our members have warned they will not hit the interim target, with only one in two confident they will achieve the 65% elective care interim target by March 2026. 'That is why redesigning services is so essential – the combination of investment and reform – so that we can achieve the Government's three ambitions.'
Western Telegraph
an hour ago
- Western Telegraph
Hospitals could run GP surgeries under NHS reforms
Wes Streeting said the forthcoming 10 year health plan would also see 'much of what's done in a hospital today, will be done on the high street'. But he stressed the Government was 'not embarking on another top-down reorganisation' of the health service. The plan is expected to be published in July. Speaking at the NHS ConfedExpo conference in Manchester, Mr Streeting said: 'The NHS should not be bound by traditional expectations of how services should be arranged. Nearly a quarter of a million off NHS waiting lists. Lowest level in two years. And the first time they've fallen in April in 17 years! Lots done, lots to do. We're delivering our Plan for Change. I won't rest until the job is done. — Wes Streeting (@wesstreeting) June 12, 2025 'I am open to our strongest acute trusts providing not just community services, as many already do, but also primary care. 'Whatever services will enable them to meet the needs of their patients in a more integrated and efficient way. 'Indeed, I would hope that those old-fashioned labels – acute, community – become increasingly meaningless. 'Likewise, there is no reason why successful GPs should not be able to run local hospitals, or why nurses should not be leading neighbourhood health services.' Mr Streeting talked about the 'jeopardy' facing the NHS, adding: 'Just as public satisfaction has plunged to its lowest level on record, major political parties have begun to question the very existence of a publicly funded universal healthcare system free at the point of need. 'And I can almost feel them willing us on to fail, because if all of us fail in our mission to turn the NHS around, the vultures on the populist rivals swoop in for the kill. 'The NHS is in a fight for its life but nothing I have experienced in my first 11 months in office have shaken my conviction or confidence that this is a fight we will win.' Meanwhile he spoke about the spending review, likening himself to the survivor in the popular book series, The Hunger Games. 'Yesterday's spending review was a vital moment on that journey,' he said. 'There have been broadly two sorts of reactions to this. The first, mainly from the media and the public – '£29 billion is a hell of a lot of money'; the second, mainly from our think tank friends – '£29 billion is nowhere near enough'. The truth is, both are right. 'It is objectively a substantial funding settlement that puts wind in our sails. But investment alone isn't enough. 'There is no fix to the NHS's problems that simply pours more money into a broken system. 'It is only through the combination of investment and reform that we will succeed in getting the NHS back on its feet and making make it fit for the future.' He told delegates at the conference: 'Despite my best efforts at the Cabinet yesterday morning before the spending review announcement, to put the blame on John Healey the Defence Secretary for the squeeze on other government departments, none of my colleagues were buying. 'In fact, one permanent secretary once referred to me as the Katniss Everdeen of The Hunger Games. 'We're a Labour Government – the NHS is all of our priorities, and there isn't a single person sat with me around the Cabinet table who doesn't value what you're doing, doesn't underestimate the scale of the task that we have ahead of us, and they are all rooting for us to succeed, every single one of them.' Commenting on the speech, Matthew Taylor, chief executive of the NHS Confederation, said: 'The Secretary of State is right that the divides between acute, primary, community are already being broken down, supported by the work of integrated care boards. 'Redesigning services is essential to the future of the NHS and many providers are already breaking down their traditional silos to offer patients truly personalised and integrated care.' He added: 'The extra funding announced at the spending review is very welcome and, as Mr Streeting says, it is both a lot of money and not enough. 'Many of our members have warned they will not hit the interim target, with only one in two confident they will achieve the 65% elective care interim target by March 2026. 'That is why redesigning services is so essential – the combination of investment and reform – so that we can achieve the Government's three ambitions.'
Belfast Telegraph
2 hours ago
- Belfast Telegraph
Nursing home documentary should be investigated by gardai
He also said the state is too reliant on private nursing home care and 'far too many' people in Ireland go into nursing homes 'far too early'. Labour TD Marie Sherlock said during Leaders' Questions that there are 'huge questions for Government' over how to care for older people in Ireland. She said there are no minimum staffing levels for nursing homes, despite there being such standards in Northern Ireland and elsewhere. 'Are you comfortable that the nursing home sector is becoming dominated by big business in Ireland?' she asked. Responding, Mr Harris said: 'The short answer is I believe the state is too reliant on the private market when it comes to nursing home provision. 'That's why we established a commission of care because I do think we need to look at the entire model of how we care for older people in this country.' He also told the Dail: 'I've been reflecting on this, and I fully accept that people work in very demanding environments, I fully accept that as well. 'But I do also believe what stems from what we've seen on our television screens in recent days are real questions of personal accountability. 'There are laws in our land today. There are laws in relation to assault, there are laws in relation to how we conduct ourselves, and I would urge that a referral is made to An Garda Siochana in relation to the footage that we saw. 'Because what I saw with my own two eyes, the haunting scenes of people being, in my view, physically assaulted in their home, is something that – the Government has responsibilities here to do things, absolutely, but so too do people who carry out those actions. 'I do think there's a need for a Garda investigation into what we saw in relation to the individual actions of people in relation to that.' He also said Hiqa has questions to answer as there were 'serious shortcomings'. He added: 'There are many good private nursing homes, big and small, right across the country and I don't have an ideological view in relation that. 'I just want older people to have choice in relation to their care. I want their families to be supported in making those decisions. 'I want to know, whether it's a public nursing home or a private nursing home, that everyone is safe, that everyone is being treated with dignity. 'I do think we should also be more ambitious about care in the community. I do believe that. I believe far too many people in Ireland go into a nursing home far too early. I can think of good examples of where we have housing alternatives in place and home care opportunities, but they're far too rare. 'But I also think there are genuine, serious issues of personal accountability. 'There is no law, there is no ideology, or there is no model of care that can excuse away – either in its existence or its absence – the conduct of people who decided to physically manhandle elderly people with dementia, and I want them held accountable and I want the gardai to look at the matter.'
