Awareness campaign has already led to 40,000 extra receiving Pension Credit

You can apply for Pension Credit any time after you reach State Pension age but your application can only be backdated by 3 months. This means you can get up to 3 months of Pension Credit in your first payment if you were eligible during that time.

You must apply for Pension Credit by 21 December 2024 to qualify for a 2024 to 2025 Winter Fuel Payment (or Winter Heating Payment, if you live in Scotland).

This is from:

www.gov.uk/pension-credit/how-to-claim

Several weeks ago now, Lisa Nandy was on GMB. People may remember how cross Martin Lewis was about what was going with WFP that there was some mild swearing. Nandy said the cut off for claims has been extended to April 2025 and their claim will be backdated but I have not seen anything to back that up. The above link certainly doesn’t. Here’s the segment from GMB. Listen particularly at 6 minutes.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=u7XFWL50WZQ

This is what happens when you ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, who to my knowledge never held the shadow post for Work and Pensions, to talk about benefits.

This is what happens when you ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, who to my knowledge never held the shadow post for Work and Pensions, to talk about benefits.

I am beginning to wonder why governments pander to the lazy so called journalism we have had for too long. Why not stop sending someone out on the "morning round", the Sunday round, etc.

They could then invite journalists into Number 10 to discuss the applicable topics with the right member of government. This would stop them going for clickbait, as they would know they wouldn't be invited back if they did.

Oreo

TerriBull

According to analysis by the BBC many of those who have applied for pension credit won't receive it due to the backlog which stretches way back.

I heard that.A woman who applied for it in September still hasn’t got it and applying for the WFA ended at midnight the other night.

All applications received by midnight yesterday will be processed, and if successful claimants will be paid, as I understand it. The cut off date was for the applications, not for the payments.

I’m glad so many thousands have applied, the TV adverts reminding people to claim have been on for a while, and it was on the hourly radio news all day yesterday.

Politicsnerd - if we all had to fill in these forms ……..

We need to be an advisory body to make the state work more easily for us!

Applying for anything has become more and more difficult. If it goes wrong, it’s a nightmare to put right. The easiest action used to be to pick up the phone and talk to a real, live, human being. These days it’s become an art in itself.

In fairness, I don’t think it would ever have been possible to apply for an additional benefit over the phone, because you need to write down, and sign to confirm the details of your income?

I'm not sure about an advisory board - the tend to work slowly. I certainly agree that the systems need improving.

Based on what I have seen of the complexities surrounding applying for benefits the idea seems to have been to make it so difficult that people drop out ayse. That comes pretty close to wicked in my book as the least able are the most likely to suffer.

You only have to look at how many solicitors firms are now offering to partner you in claiming - for a fee of course to see something is wrong.

Casdon

In fairness, I don’t think it would ever have been possible to apply for an additional benefit over the phone, because you need to write down, and sign to confirm the details of your income?

I think they have finally put the application form for PC on-line. However, you can only use it if you have under £6,000 in savings. That figure isn't relevant to PC, so I wonder why.

According to the Gov website you or your representative can claim by phone and online and in writing.

www.gov.uk/pension-credit/how-to-claim

but you certainly have to have all the details to hand of income, savings, dates etc.

if it were me I'd be asking Age UK to help.

I think this is a classic case of letting better be the enemy of good.

The application system clearly isn't perfect, which doesn't surprise me, but if the aim is finally to repair it, why moan about it not being right just yet, instead of being pleased that people are being encouraged to claim? Would people rather have the needy wait until everything is perfect before even attempting to move forward?

PoliticsNerd

Casdon

In fairness, I don’t think it would ever have been possible to apply for an additional benefit over the phone, because you need to write down, and sign to confirm the details of your income?

I think they have finally put the application form for PC on-line. However, you can only use it if you have under £6,000 in savings. That figure isn't relevant to PC, so I wonder why.

It's possibly to restrict the number that can use it so the system isn't overloaded. Assuming those with fewer savings are in greatest need it seems fair. My supposition only, open to correction as ever.

OldFrill

PoliticsNerd

Casdon

In fairness, I don’t think it would ever have been possible to apply for an additional benefit over the phone, because you need to write down, and sign to confirm the details of your income?

I think they have finally put the application form for PC on-line. However, you can only use it if you have under £6,000 in savings. That figure isn't relevant to PC, so I wonder why.

It's possibly to restrict the number that can use it so the system isn't overloaded. Assuming those with fewer savings are in greatest need it seems fair. My supposition only, open to correction as ever.

It’s akin to the filing of tax returns on 31st January though. There isn’t a problem if you apply in a timely way, but if you leave doing anything until the actual deadline day there’s a risk the systems won’t be able to cope with the volume.

On 29 October, Emma Reynolds said:

The Department for Work and Pensions has deployed 500 additional staff to process pension credit applications as quickly as possible, and I encourage all pensioners who might be eligible to apply by 21 December. As the hon. Gentleman knows, that benefit can be backdated by three months, and can passport pensioners to other benefits.

hansard.parliament.uk/commons/2024-10-29/debates/FEFC2A70-6197-45F2-8E2E-5A603C382F3F/PensionCreditProcessingOfApplications#:~:text=The%20Department%20for%20Work%20and%20Pensions%20has,and%20can%20passport%20pensioners%20to%20other%20benefits.

Those staff would have to be trained and get up to speed very quickly but it's a step in the right direction.

Its actually £10.000 savings, after which you can still claim but what you get is less.

I agree with the posts above - yes there is a lot to be desired in the system: but that certainly can't be changed overnight: I don't recall such an effort being made before to encourage a benefit take up, credit where its due.

May I correct the information given previously about the effect of savings on Pension Credit. Any savings of less than £10K is disregarded. For savings over that amount a formula is applied to convert it to a weekly “notional income”. In addition, many people are not aware that if you receive Attendance Allowance, the amount of Pension Credit is considerably increased. This could take into the realms of entitlement to Pension Credit and/or Council Tax Benefit, and free TV licence if over 75. Please take advice from a professional and don’t assume anything.

There have been several central government initiatives in the past to encourage people to claim Pension Credit but it's taken the blunt tool or withdrawing universal WFP to trigger this level of activity. I do feel very sorry for the people on the cliff-edge who now just miss out on WFP and will be worse off than successful Pension Credit claimants. That isn't right. It was a known hazard. It's written there in the November 2019 Briefing Paper.

Withdrawal at a certain threshold would also create a “cliff-edge” problem. This could be tackled by introducing some sort to “taper”, as has been done for the Child Benefit High Income Charge, but this could be complicated and expensive to administer.

researchbriefings.files.parliament.uk/documents/SN06019/SN06019.pdf

All the Government suggests for those people is to apply for help from local councils' Household Support Funds but it is at the discretion of individual local councils how to allocate those funds - and the claim process isn't easy. The city council here doesn't even administer its own HSF. It's administered by another city council entirely.

There is no way of devising a system which is totally fair to everybody FlitterMouse because there are so many variables in individual circumstances, not all related directly to income. There will always be a threshold with people who are only just above it. I think it’s likely that the threshold for claiming pension credit will be raised, which will catch those who are struggling the most - if they apply for it.

I agree but the why is the ceiling for Pension Credit is kept deliberately below the rate of the new State Pension?

It's easy to see when you look at the history. Some years, the ceiling for PC is increased by more than the triple lock; then, the following year less than the triple lock so that is always stays just under. This now leaves those people who only have the full nSP unable to claim WFP and all the other add ons that come with Pension Credit.

I feel sorry for anyone who was persuaded to pay Class 3 to top up missing NI years. Instead of topping up to 35 they could have topped up to 34 - saved themselves £900 and now be entitled to WFP, WHD, free specs and dental care etc.

OldFrill

PoliticsNerd

Casdon

In fairness, I don’t think it would ever have been possible to apply for an additional benefit over the phone, because you need to write down, and sign to confirm the details of your income?

I think they have finally put the application form for PC on-line. However, you can only use it if you have under £6,000 in savings. That figure isn't relevant to PC, so I wonder why.

It's possibly to restrict the number that can use it so the system isn't overloaded. Assuming those with fewer savings are in greatest need it seems fair. My supposition only, open to correction as ever.

Good point and it sounds a very likely reason. Thank you.

Wyllow3

Its actually £10.000 savings, after which you can still claim but what you get is less.

I agree with the posts above - yes there is a lot to be desired in the system: but that certainly can't be changed overnight: I don't recall such an effort being made before to encourage a benefit take up, credit where its due.

Not quite Willow

If you have £10,000 or less in savings and investments this will not affect your Pension Credit. If you have more than £10,000, every £500 over £10,000 counts as £1 income a week. For example, if you have £11,000 in savings, this counts as £2 income a week.

This could put your income above the income level put please, please can no one second guess this. It is always worth enquiring and learning more about how it works.

I’d hope most people who are potentially eligible have done that by now PoliticsNerd, but even if they haven’t and will therefore miss the WFP for this winter, it’s good advice to apply.

Thanks for corrected info, PoliticsNerd

FlitterMouse

I agree but the why is the ceiling for Pension Credit is kept deliberately below the rate of the new State Pension?

It's easy to see when you look at the history. Some years, the ceiling for PC is increased by more than the triple lock; then, the following year less than the triple lock so that is always stays just under. This now leaves those people who only have the full nSP unable to claim WFP and all the other add ons that come with Pension Credit.

I feel sorry for anyone who was persuaded to pay Class 3 to top up missing NI years. Instead of topping up to 35 they could have topped up to 34 - saved themselves £900 and now be entitled to WFP, WHD, free specs and dental care etc.

Pension credit is a safety net for those net getting full pension. If you are in the circus, the safety net is below the performers, not above them! If you are above the level for pension credit then you can apply for help with council tax, rent and dental charges etc on low income grounds.

benefits-calculator.turn2us.org.uk/

Freya5

I really wonder why this was not promoted, on TV every so often, and well before the withdrawal of the WFA.
Before anyone jumps on me, I am pleased that those who can have it have managed to be successful, but it doesn't help anyone just a few pennies over the threshold that cannot claim any extra benefits. No not myself, I'm one of the lucky ones, unless of course Milliband gets his way and sees us all in penury.

Not correct, you can still apply for help on low income grounds. Have a look at this link.

benefits-calculator.turn2us.org.uk/

Brahumbug. I agree the turn2us calculator is very good but it doesn’t detract from my question about why the limit for Pension Credit is deliberately - and it is deliberate - kept below the level of the nSP. It could be raised to that level and then everyone on the single tier pension but with no other income would at least receive WFP.

Eventually the additions and deductions for Protected Payments and CODs will fade out as eventually all pensioners who have no pre-2016 contributions become pensioners and the older ones die off. Then it will be a straight comparison of those who worked for 35 years and those who didn’t and nobody should ever be disadvantaged by working. This is what I dislike about going down the road of means testing and residual welfare rather than universal benefits.