Pension credit applications soar but approvals remain low

Some 150,000 people have applied for pension credit since the Chancellor announced the means testing of the winter fuel payment (Yui Mok/PA) - (PA Wire)

Claims for pension credit have soared by almost 150% since the Government announced plans to means-test the winter fuel payment, figures show.

But just 42,500 applications have been approved over the same period – less than 5% of the 880,000 people the Government said were missing out on the benefit in July.