Elderly Brits struggling to access financial support have spoken out about being “reduced to tears” and even feeling “suicidal” due to the long and complex forms required by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP).
Pensioners applying for the four main entitlements – pension credit, attendance allowance, housing benefit, and council tax reduction – could face an overwhelming 450 questions, according to shocking investigation by the charity Independent Age.
The arduous process can take over four hours with professional help, and even longer for those struggling through it alone.
One pensioner, 69-year-old Susan, shared her distressing experience, saying: “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, but dwelling on all of the things that I am no longer capable of doing sent me into a very dark place.”
Another elderly claimant described the ordeal as “long, tedious, repetitive,” adding: “By the time you finish, you feel absolutely awful, mentally exhausted, and worry you won’t get the help.”
The bureaucracy is having a devastating impact on pensioners who are entitled to financial aid but are being put off by the complex system. The latest figures show that only 65% of eligible pensioners are receiving pension credit, leaving 970,000 vulnerable individuals missing out on crucial funds.
The result? A staggering £1.5 billion in unclaimed benefits, equating to a loss of around £1,900 per year for every household that failed to claim pension credit in 2023. Many of these individuals also lost access to the winter fuel payment after it was restricted to low-income pensioners in receipt of means-tested benefits last year.
Housing benefit take-up is even lower, with 83% of eligible claimants missing out. This means 270,000 older households are struggling unnecessarily, as £1.1 billion in potential support goes unclaimed.
Independent Age chief executive Joanna Elson has slammed the current system, calling for urgent reforms. She told the Big Issue: “It is clear that the UK has a social security system that is far too complex and difficult to navigate. While there are numerous entitlements available, many people in later life are unable to access potentially life-changing support as a result. Something has to change.”
With around two million pensioners currently living in poverty and another million teetering on the brink, campaigners say urgent action is needed. Elson is demanding a government-led benefits take-up strategy to cut through red tape and simplify the process. She has also urged the DWP to explore automation to ensure funds reach those in desperate need.
Kelly Conlan, advice and support manager at Independent Age, added: “Our helpline regularly receives calls from worried older people who know there is financial support available but are daunted by 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 provides free welfare benefit checks and application support. If you or a loved one are struggling, contact their free helpline on 0800 319 6789 or visit their website for more information.
A DWP spokesperson said:“We have made the process of applying for benefits as accessible as possible such as completing the Pension Credit claim form online now takes on average just 16 minutes while figures published last week show nearly 120,000 more pensioners are receiving it since July.
“Our new initiative of joining up State Pension and Pension Credit is supporting more people onto the benefit as soon as they become eligible, and we have written to over 120,000 pensioner households in receipt of Housing Benefit about Pension Credit to better join up the offer further improve uptake.”
