271,761 Pensioners Refused Pension Credit

Something needed to be done to get the money to people who really need it, l know of a couple who both work, have SP’s and private pensions and were unhappy to lose the winter fuel payment, I’m sure they’re not on their own

I’ve heard people talk about the government taking away their ‘ winter wine allowance’- tongue in cheek. It didn’t need to be given to well off pensioners.

I moved from Jobcentre+ to The Pension Service , along with hundreds of other civil servants. Our brief was to deliver the new Pension Credit which came into force on 6th October 2003. There was extensive training and I worked on this team for 10 years until my retirement. I imagine the same thing is happening now. Staff drafted from other departments. I came across many people who had significant savings but lived as if they were in dire straits. Their savings were for their family.

In some people's eyes the DWP can't get it right . Firstly accused of not sending enough letters to women born in the 1950s about the change in retirement age, and now being accused of sending pension credit information letters to pensioners, some of which recipients may not qualify for pension credit because their retirement income is higher than the maximum
permitted.

Nothing to see here. It is pensioners who either didn't know about pension credit levels, or didn't know how to apply for it, or are just above the pension credit level who have been the hardest hit with the withdrawal of WFP, but wherever the threshold line is put, there will always be people that fall the wrong side of it.

Barleyfields

I don’t understand the point of this thread. In the absence of an administrative error an applicant will only fail to be granted pension credit if they don’t meet the qualifying criteria. Use of the word ‘refused’ is misleading and inflammatory. I could apply for PC today and would be ‘refused’ because I know I don’t qualify.

It is good that information about the availability of PC is being widely disseminated but providing that information by no means implies that the recipient of the information qualifies. How the OP can imagine sending a leaflet about PC to someone who isn’t eligible for it amounts to ‘mental cruelty’ I can’t begin to understand.

the point of this thread, like a lot of them at present, is to take an opportunity, however tenuous, to criticise the Labour government.

Another one here who could claim Pension Credit as my pension is below the criteria however I have savings and do not need PC. I feel I am lucky!

If your savings don’t render you ineligible for PC, then why not apply for it? Once your savings are gone, they’re gone and we never know when we might need to dip into the rainy day fund, perhaps to replace a household appliance.

Whatever the figures really are I think the important point is that these 11 million letters encouraging people to apply for pension credit should have been sent out straight after the budget announcing the abolition of WFA.

knspol

Whatever the figures really are I think the important point is that these 11 million letters encouraging people to apply for pension credit should have been sent out straight after the budget announcing the abolition of WFA.

Letters were sent out from October 2024, 12 million of them.

That was too late. The decision to withdraw WFA was announced in July. Given the time it takes to process applications, October was too late. I have no idea how they decided who would receive a letter unless they spent time colluding with HMRC. I didn’t receive one despite receiving the old sp with considerable deductions for years contracted out, and nor did my husband, also on the old sp, though we wouldn’t qualify anyway. It sounds like a bit of a dog’s dinner.

Barleyfields

That was too late. The decision to withdraw WFA was announced in July. Given the time it takes to process applications, October was too late. I have no idea how they decided who would receive a letter unless they spent time colluding with HMRC. I didn’t receive one despite receiving the old sp with considerable deductions for years contracted out, and nor did my husband, also on the old sp, though we wouldn’t qualify anyway. It sounds like a bit of a dog’s dinner.

I don’t understand why October was too late *Barleyfields? People who applied before 21st December and are successful will get the payment for this winter, so submitting the application was the important part, and there were two and a half months to do that. The letters were sent out by councils in many cases, and went to people who they were aware paid a reduced council tax, as I understand it. It’s not a perfect system, but neither is Pension Credit a new payment, and there has long been a problem with people not claiming their entitlement.

If,as seems likely, we move towards a means tested system of pensions in the future, it will become more essential for people to apply for what they are entitled to if they are below the threshold.

People would have needed their WFP earlier than the sending of letters allowed. It was I believe normally paid in Oct/Nov. By the time someone managed to apply in response to a letter received in October (no mean feat given the length of the form), and their application was processed, we would have been into deep winter. Probably past Christmas. Having their PC backdated wouldn’t help them during the months they endured the cold because they were afraid to turn on the heating.

No, that is true Barkeyfields, but it isn’t the point you made in your post.

How so?

You said October was too late to send letters out, but it wasn’t because of the time left before application closed?

It was too late given the time it takes to process the applications, as I said.

You didn’t say it was too late from the perspective of people not putting their heating on in the interim period until their application was processed. I thought by saying it was too late, you were saying that it did not give them time to apply before the deadline.

No, applying before the deadline was not what I had in mind. Obviously a letter sent in October was not too late for making an application before the deadline. I apologise for any lack of clarity on my part and trust you now understand my point about having the money to turn on the heating when needed as was the intention with the Oct/Nov payments, or knowing it would soon arrive in your account.

Yes, I understand your point, and agree that some people may have not put their heating on because they didn’t know whether their claims would be accepted or not. I hope the outstanding claims are now processed as quickly as possible.

Mental cruelty? Twaddle.

OldFrill

"mental cruelty"? mae13 does have analarmist style when posting. Never fails to make me laugh. Recommend a large pinch of salt.

You've given me quite a few Horse Laughs in your (very long) time......

OldFrill...........eh bièn?

People should have got a benefit check before applying. All these people applying and then not qualifying just clogs up the system for those that do qualify. Current wait times for Pension credit claims to be processed are 3-4 months so there are some on very low incomes having to wait that length of time to get help.

mae13

OldFrill...........eh bièn?

Well. l have considered you might be one of the GNHQ overseers on a mission to instigate lively threads and entertaining debate. A plant so to speak.

I became a pensioner last year in April I went to the CA in February and the lovely Lynsey helped me claim pension credit. I was with her 3 hours a hour waiting for DWP to put us through I gave my permission to speak for me so she could answer some of the questions as she knew how to phase things . It was all logged in the computer. She wrote down exactly what to say when I phoned DWP on my birthday and much to my delight got £70.04 a week which will go up to £71 and a few pennies in April. I only get my full state pension. But because disability gets enhanced PIP for living and enhanced PIP for mobility. I was born disabled but because of no diagnosis turned down for disability benefits since 1988. Even with my diagnosis still PIP gave me zero on everything because what is wrong with me is rare and wasn't on the list even with 45 letters from my GP, neurologist and cardiologist. But the Brain Charity got me a solicitor pro bono and we went to tribunal but took over a year to get there but I was awarded it in 2023 but back dated until March 2022 when I asked for the forms .

Took me 35 years to get the help I should have had for years.

My advice is apply for everything you may but entitled to UC ,heath UC, PIP,pension credit, attendance allowance if already a pensioner. Any housing benefit you may be able to get plus any grants if you need to alter your home for your needs . But get help filling in the forms CA,Age UK or charity if you have an illness or disability .