Last year, the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) confirmed that “additional resources” have been brought in to help process new claims for Pension Credit which had reached “an all time high” following the success of an ongoing campaign to drive take-up of the benefit designed for people of State Pension age on a low income.
Earlier this week, Pensions Minister Laura Trott MP, shared that the average time to process new claims for the ‘passport’ benefit, which is worth up to £3,500 a year in financial support and discounts, is 34.1 days. This means people submitting applications this week or next, could receive their first payment - and any backdated arrears - by early July.
New claims can be backdated by up to three months from the point of application and paid accordingly, to ensure those who are entitled do not miss out.
