Claims that new pensioners have gone without the right payments over the festive period appear not to have been upheld in Colchester.

Shadow Secretary of State for Social Security Iain Duncan Smith claimed the Government's failure to repair the computer system had cost British pensioners about £1 billion over Christmas and the New Year.

He claimed he and other MPs had been deluged with letters from pensioners.

But Dawn Brightwell, Colchester organiser for Age Concern, said she had not been aware of any problems.

"This is news to us and we have not heard of anyone in difficulty," she said.

And she added if people in the Colchester area were having problems, they should contact Age Concern and advice would be sought for them.

At Colchester's benefits office, a spokesperson said he knew there had been problems with the National Insurance computer but he could not confirm or deny local people had been affected.

"It is hard to say yes or no. We are still waiting for information as it is a national issue."

Money, he said, was being issued and a number of elements went together to make up individual pensions.

"Any individual would not necessarily know the correct or incorrect amount. They trust the system. Some could be overpaid, some underpaid and it would take time to sort this out."

And Bob Russell , Lib Dem MP for Colchester, said his "deluge of complaints" had been "nil" while Colchester North Conservative MP Bernard Jenkin said he had had some letters.

He could not say how many he had received but added that he expected to get more after the Christmas period.

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