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Pension Credit Processing Delays
Story in Observer yesterday.
Poorer pensioners wait months for benefit applications to be approved
Is anyone else having problems getting through to Pension Credit existing claims number (0800 731 0469)? For the last couple of weeks, each time I call with a client I am routed to State Pension call-handlers who explain to me that I have to press 1 for Pension Credit, as if I haven’t been pressing it as if my life depended on it. Last week it took nine calls before I finally got someone who was willing to transfer the call to Pension Credit. Today, five calls in on that number and it’s going straight to State Pension and each person we speak to denies that it is possible to transfer the call to PC.
Does anyone have an email address?...
DWP Minister provides non answer in response to written question from Shadow Work and Pensions Secretary on average waiting times for new pension credit claims to be processed -
https://questions-statements.parliament.uk/written-questions/detail/2022-11-08/82311
This is what we ought to do. We made it worse and now we’re making it better.
Thing is, if you aren’t processing stuff inside 6 months then how exactly do you know your campaign was successful?
https://twitter.com/gmlawcentre/status/1597953147980259328?s=20&t=4qUikD7LxPsWQ04iYP-2WQ
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[ Edited: 30 Nov 2022 at 02:30 pm by Dan Manville ]Our finalising and distributing the results of that survey have been delayed a wee bit thanks to me getting the lurgy; I’m sniffling in my back bedroom as I type. However it’s clear that whatever the ministers are saying there is a big problem here with delays usually beyond the 6 month mark.
I have the dubious honour of having the longest delay reported, of several hundred discussed in the survey; my client’s been waiting more than 2 years!
I am (ahem) in correspondence with DWP legal about this issue and I’d like to highlight this thread as it’s good evidence that there were already problems before the take up campaign. Any objections? It’s a publicly viewable forum so I’m hoping not.
Absolutely none for me. We’ll hopefully have some case studies for you in the new year also.
I often send links to thread to DWP as evidence for issues Dan - I think it can be really helpful.
Some of the DWP staff actively look here to spot issues :)
Absolutely none for me. We’ll hopefully have some case studies for you in the new year also.
Aren’t you supposed to be on holiday? :)
I often send links to thread to DWP as evidence for issues Dan - I think it can be really helpful.
Some of the DWP staff actively look here to spot issues :)
And long may that continue. I sometimes temper comments with that in mind but largely think it inadvisable to do so. Better that people hear an unvarnished truth occasionally.
I have previously shared this thread with GMCA colleagues conducting a PC take-up campaign across GM in order to provide some insight into the fact that what we occasionally present as a straightforward claim process is currently anything but.
Absolutely none for me. We’ll hopefully have some case studies for you in the new year also.
Aren’t you supposed to be on holiday? :)
Aren’t we all. I’m done at the end of tomorrow for 3 weeks. Have just had a couple of half days to get my hours down. Largely spent walking long distances in the rain whilst ranting at the sky. Definitely ready for a break at this point.
[ Edited: 22 Dec 2022 at 03:54 pm by Mike Hughes ]Some of the DWP staff actively look here to spot issues :)
Lets hope it doesn’t take them 4 years to acknowledge the problem this time…
In other news, I’ve just finished the second round of (ahem) correspondence to DWP legal. I’m not sure I should be so pleased with myself signing off the covering email with “Happy Christmas” but that is the person I am.
[ Edited: 23 Dec 2022 at 01:24 pm by Dan Manville ]It’s also very inconsistent. We have some made within a few days of each other in August; half have been awarded, half are still waiting to be processed.
It’s also very inconsistent. We have some made within a few days of each other in August; half have been awarded, half are still waiting to be processed.
Hiya Rosie
Happy New Year!
Is there anything you can see that would make the delayed claims more difficult to process; capital having accrued or similar?
It’s also very inconsistent. We have some made within a few days of each other in August; half have been awarded, half are still waiting to be processed.
Hiya Rosie
Happy New Year!
Is there anything you can see that would make the delayed claims more difficult to process; capital having accrued or similar?
And a Happy New Year to you Dan! They are all Dep clients so all have an appointee but apart from that I’m not aware there’s anything difficult about any of them. In fact typically it seems to be the clients who most need the money who are waiting the longest.
Our local MP raised the great report into delays in processing PC claims by the Law Centre yesterday, while also noting my clients current 26 weeks wait.
“Fleur Anderson (Putney) (Lab)
According to research from the Law Centres Network’s recent pension credit report, nearly 60% of respondents said that they waited between three and six months for claims to be processed.
A constituent of mine has been waiting six months and losing out during that time. Will the Minister address the Pension Service’s processing failure and take steps to bring the average time it takes to deal with claims for pension credit down to the target time of six weeks?”
Not much of a response, although they say we will see improvements from February, apparently.
“Laura Trott
I am concerned to hear of that individual case and if the hon. Lady would like to write to me, I will look into it. More broadly, we know that there have been delays; that is partly because the number of claims doubled in 2022. I am pleased to say that in February we expect claim waiting times to get back to normal, but I will, of course, report back to the House on how we are doing on that.
[ Edited: 24 Jan 2023 at 09:20 am by roecab ]