Until recently, the Department did not keep records on pensioners for more than four years after the date they died due to its data retention policy.40 However, it said it has now 32 C&AG’s Report, paras 18, 4.11 33 Qq 79, 80 34 Qq 1, 83; Letter from Permanent Secretary of the Department for Work & Pensions to the Chair of the Committee of Public Accounts, dated 15 November 2021. 35 Q 39 36 Q 77; C&AG’s report, 4.17. 37 C&AG’s Report, para 1.16 38 Q 97 39 Qq 151, 152, 154 40 C&AG’s Report, para 4.14 Underpayments of the State Pension 15 started retaining such records for longer.41 The Department’s priority so far has been to focus on living pensioners rather than the deceased, even though some of their next of kin may be financially vulnerable.42 In some cases, information on next of kin of the deceased is missing, and the Department still does not have a plan to trace them.43