The majority of state pension recipients were satisfied with the service received by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP), the latest claimant expectation survey has found.
More than 90 per cent of those that contacted the DWP in 2017/18 about their state pension were satisfied, a figure that remained stable when compared with the previous year.
Satisfaction levels have however fallen slightly when compared with 2015/16 when they stood at 97 per cent.
The research monitors claimants’ satisfaction with DWP services and ensures their views are considered in operational and policy planning.
Steve Webb, director of policy at Royal London said: "Whilst it is welcome that people receiving retirement pensions are overwhelmingly happy with the service they receive, this is not entirely surprising as most people have little ongoing contact with the system beyond receiving a regular pension.
"It would be more interesting to see satisfaction levels amongst those who actively contacted the DWP, for example to report a bereavement or to start a claim. These tend to be the more difficult and complex situations, and a high satisfaction rating amongst this group would be a real achievement."
The survey also revealed that ‘digital exclusion’ remained an issue, particularly for pension related benefit groups.
State pension claimants that contacted the DWP during 2017/18 were asked if they had internet access, either at home or elsewhere.
Just 77 per cent of state pension recipients confirmed they had access to the internet, while 54 per cent of those claiming pension credit confirmed they did.
Out of the 10 benefits surveyed, state pension, pension credits and attendance allowance claimants were the groups with the lowest percentage of recipients able to access the internet.
