The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) is reviewing a convoluted application form required for some pensioners to claim the £300 Winter Fuel Allowance, amid concerns that its complexity could overwhelm elderly claimants. Only older Britons who are on Pension Credit will be entitled to the allowance this year.
However, the daunting task of tackling over 200 questions stands between them and accessing the now-restricted financial aid.
On Monday in the House of Commons, Pensions Minister Emma Reynolds acknowledged the lengthiness of the process and vowed to clear any backlog of Pension Credit applications before it forces pensioners to make tough choices between heating their homes and buying food. Alarmingly, thousands of pensioners eligible for this vital support, averaging £3,900 per person, have yet to benefit from it.
While addressing questions from MPs, the Labour minister acknowledged: “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.”
According to Birmingham Live, Liberal Democrat MP for Richmond Park, Sarah Olney, has accused the Department for Work and Pensions of withholding data on pension credit applications. She expressed her concerns, stating: “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.”
Ms Olney pressed the minister for answers, asking: “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 denied any delay in publishing statistics, saying: “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.”
The minister had earlier revealed that the department had received around 74,400 pension credit applications in the eight weeks from late July to mid-September, but claimed there was no target for processing pension credit applications.
