Direct payment

Many pensioners are worried about what will happen to them

BBC Radio 4's Money Box was broadcast on Saturday, 25 September, 2004 at 1204 BST.

The programme was repeated on Sunday, 26 September, at 2102 BST.

Read the programme transcript

Nine out of 10 pensioners are happy with the new method of paying benefits directly into bank accounts, according to research published by the government on Friday.

But one million pensioners are still using the old system and many are worried about what will happen as the last order books are phased out over the next few months.

Work and Pensions Minister Chris Pond has admitted that "modernising a system which came in with ration books causes understandable concerns".

Many of the remaining pensioners do not have bank accounts, while others are worried about switching from the routine cash payments they are used to.

Rodney Bickerstaffe, President of the National Pensioners Convention (NPC) explained why he is angry at the way people are being treated, and we took his concerns to Work and Pensions Minister Chris Pond.

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Presenter: Paul Lewis
Producer: Jennifer Clarke
Web Producer: Nathalie Knowles