The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) is reviewing a complex form that pensioners must complete to receive the £300 Winter Fuel Allowance, amid concerns it’s too intricate and baffling. The form, which is necessary to claim DWP Pension Credit, consists of a staggering 243 questions.
The government has removed the Winter Fuel Payment for around 10 million pensioners with only those claiming Pensions Credit eligible – but many have been unable to contend with the horrendously complicated applications process – and it is estimated around 800,000 people who should get the benefit help which is worth about £3,900 extra a year, fail to apply.
On Monday (November 11), Pensions Minister Emma Reynolds admitted in the Commons that the application process was “very long” and vowed to address the backlog of Pension Credit claims “before older people start having to make the choice between heating and eating”. During the question period in the Commons on Monday, Ms Reynolds assured MPs: “We are looking at the form. Ninety percent of applicants now apply online but we know that the paper form is very long and we’re looking to see what we can do to simplify it.”
Labour MP for Southend West and Leigh, David Burton-Sampson, queried: “What steps is (Ms Reynolds) taking to ensure claiming for pension credit is as simple as possible? ” In response, Ms Reynolds emphasised to the House: “The Government remains absolutely committed to supporting pensioners. We urge pensioners to check their eligibility for pension credit to ensure as many people as possible have access to the support which they are entitled to.”
Sarah Olney, the Liberal Democrat MP for Richmond Park, has voiced her concern over the Department for Work and Pensions’ alleged stalling on releasing further data regarding pension credit applications. She stated: “I’m concerned that the Government knows it will not be able to process these applications on time and that this information is not being put into the public domain.”
She questioned if the backlog would be resolved before seniors are forced to choose between heating and food: “So will the minister be able to tell me exactly how many pension credit applications have been submitted since September 16, and if the backlog will be cleared before older people start having to make the choice between heating and eating? ” In response, Ms Reynolds assured: “I gently say to her we are not delaying the publication of statistics and there will be a new set of statistics which will be published soon.”, reports Birmingham Live.
Earlier, the minister remarked that while there is no specific pension credit application target, the government had received about 74,400 pension credit claims from the end of July through mid-September.