The delays mean that some who applied last year would not have received support in time for the winter period
Processing times for pension credit applications soared to an average of 87 working days at the end of last year following cuts to the winter fuel payment, well above the Government’s 50-working-day target, new figures show.
The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) failed to meet its 50-day target for nine consecutive weeks between October and December last year, peaking at an average of 87 days in mid-December, according to figures from the department obtained by wealth manager Quilter and shared exclusively with The i Paper.
Someone who applied for pension credit in December and waited 87 working days would not have started receiving it until April this year, meaning they would not have qualified for anything over winter.
The delays coincided with a substantial surge in applications after the Government announced it would means-test the winter fuel payment, restricting eligibility to those in receipt of pension credit or other benefits.
The winter fuel payment offers up to £300 for pensioners towards their heating bills.
Pension credit is a benefit designed for people over state pension age who are on a low income.
It tops their weekly income up to at least £227.10 for single people and £346.60 for couples, and opens up access to other perks such as a free TV licence.
The benefit has been widely under-claimed in the past, with Government estimates suggesting around 800,000 eligible people were not claiming it last year.
It comes as Labour apparently rowed back on the winter fuel cut earlier this week, with Sir Keir Starmer saying that the threshold will be changed again to allow more people to qualify.
“I recognise that people are still feeling the pressure of the cost of living crisis, including pensioners,” Starmer said at Prime Minister’s Questions on Wednesday, .
“As the economy improves, we want to make sure people feel those improvements in their days as their lives go forward. That is why we want to ensure that, as we go forward, more pensioners are eligible for winter fuel payments.”
However, no further details have been given.
Experts have now warned that government systems need to be able to manage the consequences of major policy decisions like this before they are announced.
According to DWP data, around 235,000 pension credit claims were received between 29 July, 2024 and 23 February, 2025, an 81 per cent increase on the same period the year before, as pensioners rushed to qualify for last year’s winter fuel payment.
In the DWP’s latest annual report, 77.7 per cent of pension credit claims were processed within the 50-day target in 2023-24, but this figure is likely to drop for the 2024-25 tax year due to the significant increase in claims.
Jon Greer, head of retirement policy at Quilter, said: “It’s encouraging that awareness of pension credit is increasing, but the system must be equipped to manage the consequences of policy decisions.
“Processing delays of up to 87 working days are simply too long, especially when low-income pensioners rely on this support to heat their homes during winter.
“The Government’s aim to better target assistance is understandable, but the administrative infrastructure has failed to keep pace. As a result, some of the most vulnerable may have been left out in the cold, quite literally.”
The DWP has been contacted for comment.
