Department for Work and Pensions written question – answered at on 27 January 2026.
Tracy Gilbert
Labour, Edinburgh North and Leith
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps his Department is taking to simplify the Pension Credit application process.
Torsten Bell
The Parliamentary Secretary, HM Treasury, The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Work and Pensions
The Department is committed to modernising the Pension Credit service and regularly reviews the user experience to balance simplification with ensuring accurate awards. We are streamlining application routes by using information held internally to reduce the number of questions customers need to answer.
Claims can be made online, by telephone, or by post. The most popular method is online, where claims can be made 24/7 with help from a family member, friend, or third party. The online form now requires a maximum of 48 questions, and for some customers as few as 35. On average, it takes just 16 minutes to complete, with around 90% of new customers applying online or by phone.
For telephone claims, callers are guided through the process by an agent. We will continue to keep the Pension Credit application process under review to ensure it remains simple and accessible.
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Secretary of State was originally the title given to the two officials who conducted the Royal Correspondence under Elizabeth I. Now it is the title held by some of the more important Government Ministers, for example the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs.
