EAST Lancashire MPs Peter Pike and Greg Pope are urging the Government to do more to ensure pensioners receive the benefits they deserve.

And they have urged senior citizens in the area to make sure they claim the cash on offer - stressing it is their right, not charity.

The two Labour backbenchers spoke out after Mr Pike raised problems over the complexity of benefits to pensioners in the Commons.

He asked Pensions Minister, Malcolm Wicks, to do more to advertise the benefits available and make them easier to claim.

He is particularly concerned about the lack of take up of the Minimum Income Guarantee, which uses the tax system to top up the basic state pension for those with no other income, and the Pension Credit, which ensures those with modest savings do not have benefits cut.

The Burnley Labour MP told Mr Wicks: "I recognise the Government is doing everything possible to ensure people eligible for pension credit get it, but I am sure the minister will recognise almost half a million people were not receiving the Minimum Income Guarantee despite being entitled to it.

"I realise that correspondence is scanned at Pension Service Centres, but do you accept that many pensioners find it confusing to receive letters from different officers in the service because they do not understand who is dealing with their case?"

Mr Wicks replied: "If you write to me with details, I will look at any difficulties.

"The fact it is early days of pension credit and so many people are already gaining is a remarkable testament to our pension service.

"When we enable people, some of whom never apply for the old Minimum Income Guarantee, we often find we can also access their claims to housing benefits or council tax benefits.

"As a result, the average weekly gain might be £7 or £8, we find many cases of people getting £30, £40 or £60 as a result of the human touch used by our local pension service."

Mr Pike said after the exchange: "I shall continue to urge the government to do more to ensure people know and understand the benefits available to pensioners including the Minimum Income Guarantee and the Pension Credit. They need to advertise it and make it as simple as possible.

"There are still thousands of pensioners in East Lancashire who are not claiming what they are entitled. They need to contact their local benefits office and find out what they are entitled to and make sure they get it. This is not charity, it is a right and they need to take advantage of it."

Hyndburn MP Mr Pope added: "The Government must do more to make this range of benefits well known to pensioners, as well as simple and easy to claim.

"But equivalently pensioners in Hyndburn and in East Lancashire must recognise that they are entitled to this money from the Government and they are not claiming charity.

"Too many of them are not getting the cash they deserve to have a decent life in retirement."