Asked by: Wendy Morton (Conservative - Aldridge-Brownhills)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps her Department is taking to reduce potential barriers to accessing Pension Credit for pensioners who do not have access to digital services or face challenges with online applications.
Answered by Torsten Bell - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
The Department is in the process of modernising the Pension Credit delivery and consideration of accessibility, having previously introduced online claims, in addition to telephone and paper claims. Claims for Pension Credit can be made online at: www.gov.uk/pension-credit/how-to-claim. The service is available to use 24/7, and provides those who may struggle to make their claim alone the flexibility to have a friend or family member to support them when making their claim at a time that is most convenient to them. Pension Credit claims can also be made through the Freephone telephone number 0800 99 1234, and there is an option to complete a paper application form.
DWP Agents and third-party organisations are also available to support customers with the application process. For customers who are unable to complete forms themselves a home visit from a visiting officer can be arranged. For customers who are deaf and use British Sign Language a Video Relay Service (known as VRS) is available and for customers who cannot hear or speak on the phone, can use Relay UK service. Further information can be found on Gov.uk Pension Credit easy read.
DWP staff are trained to identify those who may need additional support, and Jobcentres will continue to provide face-to-face support as business as usual for those who cannot access support through telephony and digital channels. The Jobcentre will also consider whether the individual should be referred to specialist support within their geographical area.
Asked by: Wendy Morton (Conservative - Aldridge-Brownhills)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment she has made of the potential impact on people of the planned increase in the Pension Credit qualifying age; and what steps she is taking to (a) inform and (b) support those affected.
Answered by Torsten Bell - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
The qualifying age for Pension Credit is linked to State Pension age and will therefore increase to age 67 over a two-year phasing period, 2026 to 2028, as a consequence of the increase to State Pension age over the same period. The changes were legislated for by the previous Government in Pensions Act 2014, as part of which an Impact Assessment on changes to State Pension age was published in May 2014.
People due to reach State Pension age during the phasing period were sent letters informing them of the change between December 2016 and May 2018.
Entitlement to Pension Credit is based on the circumstances of people at the point they make a claim and only established once a valid claim is made, which cannot be done automatically. It is not possible to identify people who will benefit from Pension Credit in advance. Information about Pension Credit, including the qualifying age, is available on gov.uk. Since September the Department has been running a campaign to promote Pension Credit and the work to raise awareness of Pension Credit continues through this year.
Asked by: Wendy Morton (Conservative - Aldridge-Brownhills)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the Answer of 3 March 2025 to Question 33016 on Pension Credit: Aldridge-Brownhills, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of publishing data on the number of outstanding Pension Credit claims at the constituency level.
Answered by Torsten Bell - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
There are currently no plans to publish volumes of Pension Credit Outstanding Claims at a constituency level. Statistics on the number of Pension Credit outstanding claims for Great Britain were published on 27 February 2025. This includes numbers of applications that were received, awarded and not awarded, and outstanding, up to week commencing 17 February 2025. Pension Credit applications and awards: February 2025 - GOV.UK.
Outstanding Pension Credit claims for Great Britain totalled 30,400 at the end of week commencing 3rd March 2025. This includes 7,100 advanced claims. Advanced claims are where the application can be started up to 4 months before reaching State Pension age.
At the end of week commencing 24th June 2024, the last full week of the previous government, outstanding Pension Credit claims for Great Britain totalled 35,000. This includes 5,500 advanced claims.
Pension Credit caseload statistics are available at a constituency level on Stat-Xplore: Stat-Xplore - Log in.
Asked by: Wendy Morton (Conservative - Aldridge-Brownhills)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether her Department is taking steps to (a) simplify and (b) ensure paper copies are made available to people without online access to the pension credit application form.
Answered by Torsten Bell - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
The Government wants those eligible for Pension Credit but not currently claiming it to receive the benefits they are entitled to. We know there are low-income pensioners who are not claiming Pension Credit, and we urge those people to apply. We encourage all pensioners who may be eligible for Pension Credit to use the Pension Credit calculator - GOV.UK(opens in a new tab) to check eligibility and to use our online Pension Credit claims process.
Claims for Pension Credit can be made online at: www.gov.uk/pension-credit/how-to-claim.(opens in a new tab) The service is available to use 24/7, and provides those who may struggle to make their claim alone the flexibility to have a friend or family member to support them when making their claim at a time that is most convenient to them. Pension Credit claims can also be made through the Freephone telephone number 0800 99 1234, and there is an option to complete a paper application form.
DWP Agents and third-party organisations are available to support customers with the application process.
For customers who are unable to complete forms themselves a home visit from a visiting officer can be arranged. For customers who are deaf and use British Sign Language a Video Relay Service (known as VRS) is available and for customers who cannot hear or speak on the phone, can use Relay UK service. Further information can be found on Easy read: Pension Credit - GOV.UK.
On average, since the start of 2025, 90% of claims have been made online or via the telephone. The average online application currently takes 16 minutes to complete.
Asked by: Wendy Morton (Conservative - Aldridge-Brownhills)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps her Department is taking to support pensioners who are unable to complete pension credit applications (a) online and (b) by phone.
Answered by Torsten Bell - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
The Government wants those eligible for Pension Credit but not currently claiming it to receive the benefits they are entitled to. We know there are low-income pensioners who are not claiming Pension Credit, and we urge those people to apply. We encourage all pensioners who may be eligible for Pension Credit to use the Pension Credit calculator - GOV.UK(opens in a new tab) to check eligibility and to use our online Pension Credit claims process.
Claims for Pension Credit can be made online at: www.gov.uk/pension-credit/how-to-claim.(opens in a new tab) The service is available to use 24/7, and provides those who may struggle to make their claim alone the flexibility to have a friend or family member to support them when making their claim at a time that is most convenient to them. Pension Credit claims can also be made through the Freephone telephone number 0800 99 1234, and there is an option to complete a paper application form.
DWP Agents and third-party organisations are available to support customers with the application process.
For customers who are unable to complete forms themselves a home visit from a visiting officer can be arranged. For customers who are deaf and use British Sign Language a Video Relay Service (known as VRS) is available and for customers who cannot hear or speak on the phone, can use Relay UK service. Further information can be found on Easy read: Pension Credit - GOV.UK.
On average, since the start of 2025, 90% of claims have been made online or via the telephone. The average online application currently takes 16 minutes to complete.
Asked by: Wendy Morton (Conservative - Aldridge-Brownhills)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many applications for Pension Credit have been determined as eligible nationwide; and how many applications remain outstanding.
Answered by Torsten Bell - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
The latest statistics on Pension Credit application volumes were published on 27 February 2025. This provides an update to the Applications and Awards data, including those awarded and not awarded and also statistics on the number of outstanding Pension Credit applications. The statistics provide weekly information for the period 3 April 2023 up to 23 February 2025. Pension Credit applications and awards: February 2025 - GOV.UK.
The most recent available data for week commencing 17 February 2025 shows there were 33,700 outstanding Pension Credit claims. The statistics on Pension Credit claims are published at national level.
Asked by: Wendy Morton (Conservative - Aldridge-Brownhills)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many applications made for Pension Credit since 24 February 2025 (a) have been approved and (b) remain outstanding.
Answered by Torsten Bell - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
The latest statistics on Pension Credit application volumes were published on 27 February 2025. This provides an update to the Applications and Awards data, including those awarded and not awarded and also statistics on the number of outstanding Pension Credit applications. The statistics provide weekly information for the period 3 April 2023 up to 23 February 2025. Pension Credit applications and awards: February 2025 - GOV.UK.
The most recent available data for week commencing 17 February 2025 shows there were 33,700 outstanding Pension Credit claims. The statistics on Pension Credit claims are published at national level.
Asked by: Wendy Morton (Conservative - Aldridge-Brownhills)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many applications for Pension Credit had been determined as eligible as of 24 February 2024.
Answered by Torsten Bell - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
The latest statistics on Pension Credit application volumes were published on 27 February 2025. This provides an update to the Applications and Awards data, including those awarded and not awarded and also statistics on the number of outstanding Pension Credit applications. The statistics provide weekly information for the period 3 April 2023 up to 23 February 2025. Pension Credit applications and awards: February 2025 - GOV.UK.
The most recent available data for week commencing 17 February 2025 shows there were 33,700 outstanding Pension Credit claims. The statistics on Pension Credit claims are published at national level.
Asked by: Wendy Morton (Conservative - Aldridge-Brownhills)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many applications for Pension Credit have been determined as eligible; and how many remain outstanding in the Aldridge-Brownhills constituency.
Answered by Torsten Bell - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
The latest statistics on Pension Credit application volumes were published on 27 February 2025. This provides an update to the Applications and Awards data, including those awarded and not awarded and also statistics on the number of outstanding Pension Credit applications. The statistics provide weekly information for the period 3 April 2023 up to 23 February 2025. Pension Credit applications and awards: February 2025 - GOV.UK.
The most recent available data for week commencing 17 February 2025 shows there were 33,700 outstanding Pension Credit claims. The statistics on Pension Credit claims are published at national level.
Asked by: Wendy Morton (Conservative - Aldridge-Brownhills)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of increasing the eligibility threshold for the winter fuel payment.
Answered by Torsten Bell - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
The Government has had to make hard choices to bring the public finances back under control. Linking Winter Fuel Payment eligibility to Pension Credit and other means tested benefits ensures that the least well-off pensioners still receive the help they need. It also ensures that the payment can be paid automatically to eligible households without the need for them to claim or to provide details of their income, capital and personal circumstances.
Increasing the eligibility threshold for the Winter Fuel Payment would effectively mean raising the prescribed rates of Pension Credit. Raising the level of the single person’s standard minimum guarantee in Pension Credit so that it matches or exceeds the full rate of the new State Pension to allow entitlement to the Winter Fuel Payment would draw more pensioners into means testing; thus undermining the rationale for the new State Pension - the full rate of which is set at a level higher than the Pension Credit standard minimum guarantee for a single person.
The primary purpose of Pension Credit is to provide poorer pensioners with a guaranteed income level, and we know there are eligible pensioners who aren’t claiming Pension Credit. This is why, since September, we have been running the biggest ever Pension Credit take-up campaign. We want to ensure as many people as possible have access to Pension Credit and the other support it leads to.