Applying for Pension Credit
How to apply
The easiest way for your customer to apply is by telephone.
Customers can call on:
- Freephone 0800 99 1234.
- Freephone 0800 169 0133 (textphone).
Lines are open Monday to Friday between 8.00am – 8.00pm.
We can also arrange for claims to be taken at designated offices’ such as local authorities.
If English is not your customer’s first language, they should phone the application line on 0800 99 1234 and say (in English) that they want to apply using another language (a friend could make this call for them). A member of the team and an interpreter will call them back at an agreed time to help them apply.
If your customer is phoning from Wales (except from a mobile phone), their call will be put through to a call centre where Welsh speakers will be available if your customer wants to apply/ conduct their business in Welsh. If your customer is phoning from a mobile phone, and wants to apply in Welsh, they must tell us. We will either transfer their call to a Welsh speaker or arrange for one to call them back.
What happens during the call?
An advisor will ask your customer questions so an application can be completed over the telephone. We may also ask your customer to send some supporting evidence (for example, proof of earnings or savings) to us within one month of the date of application.
If your customer has a problem in supplying this information within this time they should notify us immediately.
When your customer calls us, we will ask them for the following information, so they will need to have it to hand when they call. Customers must not delay applying, even if they do not have everything listed here. If necessary, we can arrange to call them back at a time that suits them.
We will need the following information, from your customer and their partner
(if they have one):
- National Insurance (NI) number
- how much money they have coming in each week, for example, details of any pension they get from a former employer or a personal pension plan, and how often it is paid
- their total savings and investments. We will ask them for the most recent balance in their bank and savings accounts and, if they have any, details of investments
- their account details (if they have one), and
- their housing costs, such as mortgage interest, service charges or ground rent.
If they would prefer, a friend or family member can call on their behalf. If someone calls on the customer’s behalf it would be necessary in the first instance for the customer’s identity to be verified and for the information collected to be sent back to the customer to verify before any payments can be made.
Your customer – or a friend – can also apply by:
- completing the form at the back of the leaflet PC1L Pension Credit
- writing a letter asking for an application form for Pension Credit
- phoning 0800 99 1234 and asking for an application form, or
- filling in the application form on the internet at www.direct.gov.uk/pensioncredit
Letters and forms must be sent to (no stamp is needed):
Freepost RRKJ-AEXK-JRLB, The Pension Service, PO Box 16, Gateshead NE92 1BA.
When to apply
Your customer can apply:
- up to four months before the date from which they qualify for Pension Credit
- up to three months after the date from which they qualify for Pension Credit. (In this case, they may get backdated payments.)
For example, if your customer was born on 10 November 1950 they would reach the minimum qualifying age on 6 July 2011. If they want to start getting Pension Credit from that date, they can apply at any time from 10 March 2011 (4 months in advance) up to 6 October 2011 (which is 3 months after your customer reached the minimum qualifying age).
If your customer wants Pension Credit to start from a past or future date they must tell us when they apply. If they phone to apply, we can go through this with them. If they complete an application form they will find more information in the booklet that comes with it.
