Members of the Work and Pensions Select Committee have welcomed the improvements in retirement income that the new single-tier state pension will bring, but has warned the key to the policy's successful implementation lies in the Government informing the public as soon as possible.
The committee said the new state pension would benefit many people but criticsed the government for its 'cavalier' move to bring forward the changes by 12 months.
Some 40 million people of working age will be affected by the changes.
Dame Anne Begg MP, chair of the committee, said: "In the short to medium term, it will mean more state pension for many people, particularly the self-employed, and women and carers who have been low-earners or had gaps in employment,
"But although the end result will be simplification, the transition period will be long and complex," Begg warned.
She added: "This is a major reform which will affect all 40 million people of working age. Although the end result will be simplification, the transition period will be long and complex."
Instead of a basic pension of £107 a week, plus various means-tested benefits, the new pension will be set at a flat rate of £144 a week, at current prices.
While many people will gain as a result of the changes, some who currently pay in to a second state pension, which is being abolished, will lose out.
The Government had originally planned to make the changes in April 2017, however, it was brought forward by 12 months to April 2016.
The Committee said this change in date has significant implications, particularly for pension schemes and employers, who now have one year less to prepare for the ending of a contracting-out.
It also criticised the Government for hampering its scrutiny of the proposals for a single-tier state pension. And notes that the Government not only imposed an extremely tight timetable, but also brought forward the implementation date by a year after the Committee had completed taking evidence.
The Committee also said the Government must work with employers to ensure the transition is as smooth as possible and that Defined Benefit pension schemes do not suffer as a result.
Begg added: "Individuals will be affected in different ways depending on a number of factors, including their age, and their previous pension and National Insurance contributions. There are already misconceptions about who stands to gain and who might lose. People closest to retirement understandably have the most immediate concerns.
"So, it is vital that the Government decides on its high-level strategy for communicating the changes to the public by the time the finalised bill comes before parliament in the summer. This should include how the internet will be used and what individualised information will be provided.
"Now that the implementation date has been brought forward to 2016, it is even more important that people receive understandable and accurate information as early as possible."
