Pension Credit applications and awards: November 2024
Published 28 November 2024
Applies to England, Scotland and Wales
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Introduction
This statistical release provides data on Pension Credit applications and awards covering the number of weekly Pension Credit claims received, claims cleared, and claims awarded or not awarded by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) between 1 April 2024 and 17 November 2024, for Great Britain only.
Main story
Since 1 April 2024, DWP has:
- received 215,200 Pension Credit claims
- cleared 161,800 Pension Credit claims
- of which, 81,000 Pension Credit claims have been awarded (81,500 claims have not been awarded)
- there has been a 145% increase in Pension Credit claims received by DWP in the past 16 weeks compared to the 16 weeks before the Chancellors Winter Fuel Payment announcement.
Key definitions
| Pension Credit claim applications | An application for Pension Credit made by, or on behalf of, either a single person or a person with a partner in a household. |
|---|---|
| Pension Credit claims cleared | Pension Credit claims where an outcome decision has been notified to the applicant, recorded in the week it was cleared. |
| Pension Credit claims cleared - awarded | Where the outcome decision resulted in an award. |
| Pension Credit claims cleared - not awarded | Where the outcome decision resulted in no award. |
Policy context
On 29 July 2024, the government announced that from Winter 2024, Winter Fuel Payments (WFP) will now be dependent on receiving another means tested benefit. Pension Credit is the primary benefit by which pensioners will receive the WFP. Since that time, there has been a large increase in Pension Credit applications.
Results
We have received around 150,000 Pension Credit claims in the 16 weeks since the announcement on 29 July (which is up to and including end of week beginning 11 November 2024). This is compared to around 61,300 Pension Credit claims in the 16 weeks before the announcement.
This represents a 145% increase in Pension Credit claims received by DWP in the past 16 weeks compared to the 16 weeks before.
We have also seen the number of cleared Pension Credit claims increasing, from around 63,100 in the 16 weeks before the 29th July announcement to 95,300 in the 16 week since the announcement.
This represents a 51% increase in Pension Credit claims cleared by DWP in the past 16 weeks compared to the 16 weeks before.
Comparing the 16-week periods before and after the announcement, the number of Pension Credit claims awarded has increased by 17% (from 36,400 to 42,500), alongside a 96% increase in the number of Pension Credit claims not awarded (from 27,100 to 53,100).
Weekly Pension Credit claims received, claims cleared, and claims awarded from 1 April 2024 to 17 November 2024
| Week beginning | Number of Pension Credit claim applications received | Number of Pension Credit claims cleared | Number of Pension Credit claims cleared - awarded | Number of Pension Credit claims cleared - not awarded |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 01 April 24 | 3,900 | 3,400 | 2,100 | 1,300 |
| 08 April 24 | 4,500 | 4,100 | 2,200 | 1,900 |
| 15 April 24 | 4,500 | 4,300 | 2,300 | 2,000 |
| 22 April 24 | 4,200 | 5,000 | 2,500 | 2,500 |
| 29 April 24 | 3,800 | 4,700 | 2,400 | 2,400 |
| 06 May 24 | 3,400 | 4,000 | 2,300 | 1,700 |
| 13 May 24 | 4,100 | 4,000 | 2,400 | 1,600 |
| 20 May 24 | 4,000 | 3,900 | 2,300 | 1,500 |
| 27 May 24 | 3,300 | 3,500 | 2,000 | 1,500 |
| 03 June 24 | 4,200 | 3,200 | 1,900 | 1,300 |
| 10 June 24 | 4,000 | 3,800 | 2,300 | 1,600 |
| 17 June 24 | 3,400 | 3,800 | 2,400 | 1,500 |
| 24 June 24 | 3,200 | 3,900 | 2,400 | 1,600 |
| 01 July 24 | 3,800 | 4,100 | 2,500 | 1,600 |
| 08 July 24 | 4,100 | 3,400 | 2,100 | 1,400 |
| 15 July 24 | 3,300 | 3,500 | 2,100 | 1,400 |
| 22 July 24 | 3,500 | 3,900 | 2,300 | 1,600 |
| 29 July 24 | 8,000 | 4,300 | 2,200 | 2,000 |
| 05 August 24 | 7,300 | 4,300 | 2,200 | 2,100 |
| 12 August 24 | 5,900 | 4,000 | 2,100 | 2,000 |
| 19 August 24 | 8,400 | 4,900 | 2,400 | 2,400 |
| 26 August 24 | 9,000 | 4,600 | 2,000 | 2,600 |
| 02 September 24 | 10,700 | 5,400 | 2,300 | 3,000 |
| 09 September 24 | 13,400 | 6,300 | 2,400 | 3,900 |
| 16 September 24 | 11,900 | 6,000 | 2,400 | 3,700 |
| 23 September 24 | 9,900 | 5,600 | 2,000 | 3,700 |
| 30 September 24 | 8,300 | 5,100 | 1,900 | 3,300 |
| 07 October 24 | 8,200 | 6,000 | 2,300 | 3,700 |
| 14 October 24 | 9,600 | 6,600 | 3,000 | 3,600 |
| 21 October 24 | 9,000 | 7,100 | 3,200 | 4,000 |
| 28 October 24 | 10,000 | 6,800 | 3,200 | 3,600 |
| 4 November 24 | 9,800 | 8,400 | 4,300 | 4,200 |
| 11 November 24 | 10,600 | 9,900 | 4,600 | 5,300 |
Source: DWP Management Information
Notes to table:
- data is not seasonally adjusted
- due to rounding individual columns will not add exactly to the rounded number of Pension Credit claims cleared
- numbers in thousands have been rounded to the nearest 100
- data records for each week are open to minor, retrospective changes, for example where claims are subsequently allocated to other weeks once reviewed by caseworkers
About these statistics
This release is classed official statistics in development. As this is a new series of data that has previously not been published, we will continue to develop collection methodology and quality assurance processes going forward.
The statistics have undergone thorough quality assurance in line with the Code of Practice for Statistics. All types of official statistics should comply with the Code of Practice for Statistics which makes sure official statistics are trustworthy, have public value, and are of high quality. The strengths and limitations of these statistics are explained in the Data strength and limitations section below.
Our statistical practice is regulated by the Office for Statistics Regulation (OSR). OSR sets the standards of trustworthiness, quality and value in the Code of Practice for Statistics that all producers of official statistics should adhere to. You are welcome to contact us directly by email at RS.ServiceAnalytics@DWP.gov.uk with any comments about how we meet these standards. Alternatively, you can contact OSR by emailing regulation@statistics.gov.uk or via the OSR website.
This is an updated series to the application figures published in the previous ad-hoc statistical release, Weekly Pension Credit claims received from 1 April 2024 to 22 September 2024. Previously published Pension Credit claim applications figures have seen some minor increases of 100 cases in any given week, as a result of further methodology and quality assurance checks of Pension Credit data systems. Many of these increases will be much fewer than 100 cases in each week, as figures are rounded to the nearest 100 cases. Further detail can be found in the ‘Data strength and limitations’ section below.
Numbers in this publication are not comparable with the DWP benefit statistics published quarterly on gov.uk. This is because this publication relates to Pension Credit applications as opposed to those currently in receipt of Pension Credit.
Data strength and limitations
Figures presented in this release are from DWP’s Pension Credit system which has previously been collected for internal departmental operations use only. They provide the best source of application and clearances data available for Pension Credit. Changes to operational and data recording processes to address the exceptional increase in Pension Credit applications, alongside further methodology and quality assurance checks, indicates minor volatility in previous weeks operational data is possible. We believe this does not materially change scale and trends presented in this statistical release, however it is possible future Pension Credit MI data publications will include updated data for previous weeks. Where this occurs, the Department will ensure this is clearly highlighted as per OSR guidance.
Statement of compliance with the Code of Practice for Statistics
The Code of Practice for Statistics (the Code) is built around 3 main concepts, or pillars:
- trustworthiness – is about having confidence in the people and organisations that publish statistics
- quality – is about using data and methods that produce statistics
- value – is about publishing statistics that support society’s needs
The following explains how we have applied the pillars of the Code in a proportionate way.
Trustworthiness
DWP analysts work to a professional competency framework and Civil Service core values of integrity, honesty, objectivity, and impartiality. The analysis in this release has been scrutinised and received sign off by the expert lead analyst.
We protect the security of our data in order to maintain the privacy of the citizen, fulfil relevant legal obligations and uphold our obligation that no statistics will be produced that are likely to identify an individual, while at the same time taking account of our obligation to obtain maximum value from the data we hold for statistical purposes. All analysts are given security training, and the majority of data accessed by analysts is obfuscated and access is business case controlled based to the minimum data required.
Quality
This publication uses internal management information from DWP’s Pension Credit internal systems and has not been quality assured to Official Statistics publication standards. However, engagement has taken place with data owners to ensure this data is fit-for-purpose and of sufficient quality for publication. Multiple rounds of quality assurance have been applied to ensure the data is as accurate and reliable as possible.
Value
These statistics are being published given public interest in Pension Credit claims following the Chancellor’s announcement on 29 July 2024 that Winter Fuel payments will be limited to those on Pension Credit or other means tested benefits from Winter 2024. The figures add to the wider set of information on those who are claiming Pension Credit. The figures also help reduce the administrative burden of answering Parliamentary Questions, Freedom of Information requests and other forms of ad hoc enquiry.
Contact information
For press enquiries contact DWP Press Office at mailbox newsdesk@dwp.gov.uk.