Pensioners are facing waits of more than 100 days to receive their Winter Fuel Payments following changes to the benefit system announced by the Labour Government earlier this year.
An investigation has uncovered dozens of cases where elderly people are waiting over three months for the vital payment, with many unlikely to receive funds until 2025. The delays stem from reforms announced in July that made the Winter Fuel Payment available only to those receiving Pension Credit, rather than all state pensioners.
The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has seen Pension Credit claims surge to 150,000 in the 16 weeks since the announcement, compared to 61,300 in the previous period.
By mid-November, there were 91,075 outstanding claims waiting to be processed by the DWP. The average waiting time for the benefit has now reached 65 working days, which is 15 days longer than the department’s target of 50 days. This target had already been extended from 30 days following Labour’s changes to the system.
The DWP has brought in around 500 additional staff to help process claims more quickly. Caroline Abrahams from Age UK said: “The benefits system was never designed to cope with such an upsurge in demand and the Treasury should have factored that in before pressing ahead with their ill-fated reform.”
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Pensioners are waiting weeks for their Winter Fuel Payment to hit their bank accounts
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Welfare advisers from several organisations have reported these long waiting times have become a serious issue. Christopher Hewett, 69, from Norfolk, has been waiting over 120 days for a decision on his Pension Credit claim after applying immediately following the announcement of changes.
Despite being told he would receive a response by October, Hewett has heard nothing despite contacting advisers. “To be honest, it’s a bit tight as things are at the moment,” he told The Independent. “I’ve had several falls recently, and I had a big one a few weeks ago and ended up with fractured vertebrae, ribs and pelvis.”
Hewett and his wife have moved in with his daughter, a single mother, while he recovers from his injuries. He had “factored in” the Winter Fuel Payment to help cover heating bills. Following intervention by The Independent, his claim has now been placed on the DWP’s priority list.
Mary Cavill, 69, has also faced lengthy delays after applying for Pension Credit in September following advice from her local council. Despite being told she would hear back by November, Cavill received no update.
Adding to her frustration, she later received another letter from the DWP advising her to apply for pension credit – something she had already done. “There’s just so much inefficiency and waste,” Ms Cavill said.
She expressed concerns about heating costs: “I try to be as frugal as possible with heating, lighting, water – all the basic utilities … but how am I going to keep warm if I’m not going to have the heating on above half an hour in the morning and an hour or two at night?” The DWP has now placed her claim on a priority list.
Political figures have strongly criticised the delays in processing Winter Fuel Payments. Tory shadow work and pensions secretary Helen Whately said: “It beggars belief that Labour are making some of the country’s poorest pensioners wait until spring to get help with the cost of heating this winter.”
Liberal Democrat work and pensions spokesperson Steve Darling said: “First the Government slashes winter fuel support for vulnerable pensioners, then they keep people worried for months at a time as they wait for the result of their application. Simply put, it’s unacceptable.”
He called on the Government to “listen to public outcry and climb down from their misguided winter fuel cut.” Outrage over the Winter Fuel Payment cut comes amid Labour’s decision to not award compensation to women impacted by historic changes to the state pension age.
Despite the Parliament and Health Service Ombudsman’s (PHSO) report recommending a payout of up to £3,000, Women Against State Pension Inequality (Waspi) women will not receive any recompense.
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Waspi women are also outraged over the Government’s perceived treatment of pensioners
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A Government spokesperson defended their handling of the situation, stating: “Over a million pensioners will still receive the Winter Fuel Payment, and our drive to boost pension credit take up has seen applications more than double with over 40,000 more pensioners now receiving it.”
According to the Government, allowance claims processing had improved, with “a 51 per cent increase in the number of cleared claims since the Chancellor’s announcement.”
The spokesperson added that additional support was available: “Many others will also benefit from the £150 Warm Home Discount and cold weather payments this winter while our extension of the household support fund will help with the cost of food, heating and bills.”
The deadline to apply for Pension Credit, in order to access backdated Winter Fuel Payment, was yesterday (December 21) at December 21, 2024.
