An MP?s fears that illiterate seniors are not receiving their pensions due to a new bank account payment system are unfounded, a Government spokesman said yesterday.

United Bermuda Party MP Suzann Roberts-Holshouser said she was aware of residents in her district of St. David?s who had not been receiving their pensions recently.

Ms Roberts-Holshouser claimed it was because they could not read and so were unable to understand letters informing them that their pensions were to be paid into a bank account rather than a cheque being sent through the mail.

But a spokesman for the Social Insurance Department, which deals with the Island?s contributory pension scheme, said that having benefits paid into a bank account was not mandatory so there was no reason for seniors not to be getting their money each month.

?For many years now we have been trying to encourage people to have their pension cheque be deposited directly into their bank account,? he said. ?But it is optional.

?We would address that immediately if a person is not getting a pension cheque. If one is not receiving a pension cheque for one reason or another then they should contact this department.?

Ms Roberts-Holshouser, the Opposition spokeswoman on family services, said she thought that pensions were no longer being sent in the mail.

?Our pensioners have to have bank accounts,? she claimed. ?I have a few residents in St. David?s who can?t read or write. All they know is that they are no longer receiving pensions.

?My concern is how many other pensioners haven?t received their pension cheques and are not quite aware of the next step. It?s hard enough for pensioners to survive.?

The spokesman said: ?That?s not true. Having it paid into a bank account has never been a mandatory requirement.?

Claudette Fleming, executive director of Age Concern, said she was not aware of any seniors not receiving their pensions. ?Whether you can read or not, you are looking for that cheque. If it doesn?t come you would pick up the phone and call someone.

?If people haven?t received their money they can let us know and we?d be happy on their behalf to arrange something,? she added.

Age Concern can be contacted on 238-7525. The Department of Social Insurance can be contacted on 295-5151 ext. 1131.