Pension Credit application - online vs telephone and acceptance? 28 May 2020 at 2:14PM in Benefits & tax credits 7 replies 102 views

fleemkt

Hello

Quick questions, is there any difference to applying for pension credit over the telephone vs online for someone who already receives housing benefit and CTR?

And at the end of the online application, are you usually advised of your entitlement along with the amount, or is it just confirmation that the application as been received / sent and that they'll revert?

Thanks

calcotti

Be aware that online application has only been available for about three weeks so there is unlikely to be many people on here with experience of using it. According to government online is quicker. Earlier in year there were reportedly delays processing the usual telephone applications.

fleemkt

Thanks calcotti.  Wasn't aware online applications for PC is a recent thing.

calcotti

fleemkt said:

Thanks calcotti.  Wasn't aware online applications for PC is a recent thing.

I think it was forced on them because they simply weren't coping earlier in the year as resources were diverted to dealing with coronavirus. Similarly ESA has only recently been available to claim online.

whizzywoo

I cannot help you with the difference between Online applications for Pension Credit versus Telephone applications.

But I applied for Pension Credit in April 2019 and it took 17 weeks for them to finally decide the claim and to start paying the money to me.  There have been very big backlogs for some time and the current situation has probably made things worse. 

Housing Benefit doesn't apply to me.  I did make a separate application for Council Tax Reduction once I realised that the decision for Pension Credit would take me over the time limit for back dating the CTR.

I started to chase my PC application after 8 weeks and kept phoning them every 2 weeks until it was decided.  Not sure how practical that would be now though.

calcotti

whizzywoo said:..I did make a separate application for Council Tax Reduction once I realised that the decision for Pension Credit would take me over the time limit for back dating the CTR.

If CTR is claimed within 1 month pf the Pension Credit decision you should be able to get the CTR fully backdated to the start of the PC award.
https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/benefits/help-if-on-a-low-income/help-with-your-council-tax-council-tax-reduction/council-tax-reduction-making-an-application/council-tax-reduction-backdating-an-application/

Obviously if there is some CTR entitlement anyway it makes sense to apply sooner rather than later and once PC is awarded the CTR award should be reviewed back to the PC start date.

TELLIT01

Whether you apply on-line or by phone, all you get is acknowledgement that the claim has been received.  It still has to be processed to determine entitlement.

fleemkt

Thanks everyone for your comments