Pensioners ‘reduced to tears’ by ‘complex’ forms when applying for help from DWP

Pensioners have described being “reduced to tears” and made to feel “suicidal” by long and complex application processes for financial support from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP).

Charity Independent Age has found that an older person applying for the four main entitlements – pension credit, attendance allowance, housing benefit and council tax reduction – could have to answer 450 questions.

The charity estimates that this could take four hours with the help of a trained advisor, and even longer if the person is trying to attempt the DWP’s application processes without support.

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Susan, a 69-year-old, said: “Applying for attendance allowance was awful. Reducing me to tears and even making me feel suicidal several times. Not only were the questions difficult to understand, dwelling on all of the things that I am no longer capable of doing sent me into a very dark place.”

Another pensioner described the process as “long, tedious, repetitive”, adding that “by time you finish, you feel absolutely awful, mentally exhausted and worry you won’t get the help”.

Independent Age argues that this is leading to low take-up of financial support. The latest figures show that just 65% of people eligible for pension credit were receiving the benefit in 2023.

It means 970,000 low-income individuals missed out on support, with £1.5bn going unclaimed. That is a loss of around £1,900 per year for every eligible household which did not claim pension credit.

These are also people who would have lost the winter fuel payment, after it was restricted to low-income pensioners in receipt of pension credit or other means-tested benefits last year.

Meanwhile, 83% of those eligible are missing out on housing benefit. This equates to 270,000 older households going without support, with £1.1bn currently going unclaimed.  

Independent Age chief executive Joanna Elson said: “It is clear that the UK has a social security system that is far too complex and difficult to navigate, and while there are numerous entitlements available, many people in later life are often unable to access potentially life-changing support as a result. Something has to change.”

Around two million older people are currently living in poverty, and a further one million are “precariously on the edge”.

Elson added: “The UK government and local authorities must work together to drive take-up for benefits such as pension credit and housing benefit. There needs to be an entitlement take up strategy that tears down the barriers that make it so difficult to understand the system, and in some cases, inaccessible for many people in later life.”

Elson called on the DWP to simplify and streamline the application process, while urging the government to investigate the feasibility of automating certain parts of the benefits system to “get money into the pockets of those who need it.

Kelly Conlan, advice and support manager at Independent Age, said: “Our helpline regularly receives calls from worried older people who know there is financial support out there but are daunted by the challenge of applying because of the sheer scale and complexity of the process.

“Older people across the country are sitting in cold homes and only eating one meal a day. It shouldn’t be so difficult to apply for support that could make a huge difference to their quality of life.”

Independent Age’s trained advisers run free welfare benefit checks and support people to fill out the application forms. If you are an older person that is worried about your financial situation, call the free helpline on 0800 319 6789 or visit the charity’s website for more information.

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