The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) recently confirmed that new claims for Pension Credit, a benefit specifically aimed at providing additional support for older people on a low income who have reached the official age of retirement, are taking around six weeks to process. The Department also said extra resources have been pulled in to meet application demand, which is at its highest peak following a nationwide campaign in early summer to raise awareness about the benefit.
This has been ongoing since the awareness event in June, with regular nudges on social media encouraging family members to check if an older relative is eligible, especially if they are unable to do so themselves. While six weeks may seem like a long time to wait for a decision letter, successful claims are backdated to the start of the application to ensure nobody is missing out.
To help even more people aged over 66 access support worth around £3,300 on average each year, DWP has introduced a new interactive Pension Credit claim form which can be completed online, downloaded and posted to the Pension Service.
