DWP looking at Pension Credit application process to help more older people access Winter Fuel Payments

DWP looking at Pension Credit application process to help more older people access Winter Fuel Payments

The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has confirmed it is “looking at” the lengthy Pension Credit application form which people over State Pension age need to complete in order to access Winter Fuel Payments and other financial support. Pensions Minister Emma Reynolds acknowledged the application process was “very long”, as she also faced calls to say whether an alleged Pension Credit claims backlog will be cleared “before older people start having to make the choice between heating and eating”.

During DWP questions in the House of Commons on Monday, Labour MP David Burton-Sampson asked what steps are being taken “to ensure claiming for Pension Credit is as simple as possible”. Ms Reynolds responded: “We are looking at the form. Ninety percent of applicants now apply online but we know that the paper form is very long and we’re looking to see what we can do to simplify it.”

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To claim Pension Credit, older people on a low income need to fill in a 243-question application form, which can unlock Winter Fuel Payments of up to £300.

Chancellor Rachel Reeves announced in July that Winter Fuel Payments would no longer be universally issued to 12.7 million State Pensioners. From this winter, payments will only be made to around 1.5m people in receipt of a means-tested benefit such as Pension Credit. The controversial move has been implemented in an effort to plug a ‘£22 billion black hole’ left by the Conservatives.

Responding to an earlier question by Conservative MP Rebecca Smith, Ms Reynolds told MPs: “The Government remains absolutely committed to supporting pensioners. We urge pensioners to check their eligibility for Pension Credit to ensure as many people as possible have access to the support which they are entitled to.”

Liberal Democrat MP Sarah Olney claimed the DWP was “delaying releasing any more data” on Pension Credit applications. She said: “I’m concerned that the Government knows it will not be able to process these applications on time and that this information is not being put into the public domain.

“So will the minister be able to tell me exactly how many Pension Credit applications have been submitted since September 16, and if the backlog will be cleared before older people start having to make the choice between heating and eating?”

Ms Reynolds said her department had redeployed 500 additional staff to help process the applications and replied to Ms Olney: “I gently say to her we are not delaying the publication of statistics and there will be a new set of statistics which will be published soon.”

The DWP Minister had earlier said “the department does not have a Pension Credit application target” but noted the Government had received around 74,400 Pension Credit claims in the eight weeks from the end of July to mid-September.

Conservative shadow work and pensions minister Danny Kruger accused the Labour Government of “avoiding scrutiny” by MPs. He described the equality assessment which looked at the decision to scale back Winter Fuel Payments as “high level” and added it “was only dragged out of the Government in response to a Freedom of Information request”.

Mr Kruger continued: “The fact is, they are avoiding accountability for this policy. They are avoiding scrutiny by this House.”

He added: “Their own figures predict that fully a third of eligible pensioners, that’s three-quarters of a million of the poorest people in the country, will not get pension credit and won’t get the winter fuel payment.

“That’s what they’re banking on, that is how they are making the savings that they predict from this policy by cutting benefits to some of the poorest people in our country.”

Ms Reynolds responded: “We have published an equality analysis, which (Mr Kruger) can find on the Government’s website and due to the legislation we don’t have to produce an impact assessment, but it is an equality analysis. I urge him to have a look at that.

“And all I would say to him is that the new leader of the Opposition (Kemi Badenoch) argued in 2022 that Winter Fuel Payments should be means-tested, so I wondered how he might go ahead and means-test Winter Fuel Payments if he had the chance?”

The DWP target time for processing Pension Credit claims is currently 50 working days. The most recent data provided by the Department shows that in the week commencing October 21, the average processing time was 52 working days.

Despite the DWP’s Pension Credit take-up campaign, some 760,000 pensioners entitled to the extra financial support are not claiming the benefit. Some older people think because they have savings or own their home they would not be eligible for the means-tested benefit, which can also provide access to help with housing costs, heating bills and Council Tax.

An award of just £1 per week is enough to unlock other support.

Below is an overview of the benefit including who should check eligibility, how to go about it, how much you could get and where to get help filling in the form.

A man and woman are sitting on a sofa looking at paperwork
Successful new claims for Pension Credit made before December 21 will receive a backdated Winter Fuel Payment. -Credit:Getty

Who can claim Pension Credit?

There are two types of Pension Credit - Guarantee Credit and Savings Credit.

To qualify for Guarantee Pension Credit , you must be State Pension age (66). Your weekly income will need to be less than the minimum amount the UK Government says you need to live on.

This is £218.15 for a single person and £332.95 for a couple - this amount could be higher if you're disabled, a carer or have certain housing costs.

You can only get Savings Credit if:

  • you reached State Pension age before April 6, 2016, or you have a partner who reached State Pension age before this date and was already receiving it

  • you have qualifying income of at least £189.80 a week for a single person and £301.22 a week for a couple

How much could you receive from DWP?

Guarantee Credit tops up your weekly income to:

  • £218.15 for a single person

  • £332.95 for a couple (married, in a civil partnership or cohabiting)

You might be able to get more than this if you're disabled or a carer, or you have certain housing costs.

Savings Credit can give you up to:

  • £17.01 a week for a single person

  • £19.04 a week for a couple (married, in a civil partnership or cohabiting).

The exact amount you’ll get depends on your income and savings. Your income includes assumed income from savings and capital over £10,000.

How to check eligibility for Pension Credit

Older people, or friends and family, can quickly check their eligibility and get an estimate of what they may receive by using the online Pension Credit calculator on GOV.UK here.

Alternatively, pensioners can contact the Pension Credit helpline directly to make a claim on 0800 99 1234 - lines are open 8am to 6pm, Monday to Friday.

Expert help and advice is also available from:

More details about claiming Pension Credit can be fond on GOV.UK here.

Other help if you get Pension Credit

If you qualify for Pension Credit you can also get other help, such as:

  • Housing Benefit if you rent the property you live in

  • Support for Mortgage Interest if you own the property you live in

  • Council Tax discount

  • Free TV licence if you are aged 75 or over

  • Help with NHS dental treatment, glasses and transport costs for hospital appointments

  • Help with your heating costs through the Warm Home Discount Scheme or Winter Fuel Payments

  • A discount on the Royal Mail redirection service if you are moving house

Mixed aged older couples and Pension Credit

In May 2019, the law changed so a ‘mixed age couple’ - a couple where one partner is of State Pension age and the other is under it - are considered to be a ‘working age’ couple when checking entitlement to means-tested benefits.

This means they cannot claim Pension Credit or pension age Housing Benefit until they are both State Pension age. Before this DWP change, a mixed age couple could be eligible to claim the more generous State Pension age benefits when just one of them reached State Pension age.

How to use the Pension Credit calculator

To use the calculator on GOV.UK, you will need details of:

  • earnings, benefits and pensions

  • savings and investments

You’ll need the same details for your partner if you have one. You will be presented by a series of questions with multiple choice answer options.

This includes:

  • Your date of birth

  • Your residential status

  • Where in the UK you live

  • Whether you are registered blind

  • Which benefits you currently receive

  • How much you receive each week for any benefits you get

  • Whether someone is paid Carer’s Allowance to look after you

  • How much you get each week from pensions - State Pension, private and work pensions

  • Any employment earnings

  • Any savings, investments or bonds you have

Once you have answered these questions, a summary screen shows your responses, allowing you to go back and change any answers before submitting. The Pension Credit calculator then displays how much benefit you could receive each week.

All you have to do then is follow the link to the application page to find out exactly what you will get from the DWP, including access to other financial support.

There’s also an option to print off the answers you give using the calculator tool to help you complete the application form quicker without having to look out the same details again. Try the Pension Credit Calculator for yourself or your family member to make sure you’re receiving all the financial support you are entitled to claim.

Who cannot use the Pension Credit calculator?

You cannot use the calculator if you or your partner:

  • are deferring your State Pension

  • own more than one property

  • are self employed

  • have housing costs (such as service charges or Crown Tenant rent) which are neither mortgage repayments nor rent covered by Housing Benefit

How to make a claim

You can start your application up to four months before you reach State Pension age. You can claim any time after you reach State Pension age but your claim can only be backdated for three months.

This means you can get up to three months of Pension Credit in your first payment if you were eligible during that time.

You will need:

  • your National Insurance number

  • information about your income, savings and investments

  • your bank account details, if you’re applying by phone or by post

If you’re backdating your claim, you’ll need details of your income, savings and investments on the date you want your claim to start.

Apply online

You can use the online service if:

  • you have already claimed your State Pension

  • there are no children or young people included in your claim

To check your entitlement, phone the Pension Credit helpline on 0800 99 1234 or use the GOV.UK Pension Credit calculator here to find out how much you could get.