Pension credits waiting times

[PieceAndJam]

AIBU to think the DWP should be honest with pension credit claimants and not give false hope?

Claimants are told that it will be 35 days for their claim to be processed. The real wait time is months, some from January are still waiting to be processed.
The 5 day wait for call back might as well be a lie, some claiments are on their 5th call back wait just to make the claim. If you're phoning to chase the progress then it's even worse.
To make matters worse the delays will cause many to miss out on the cost of living payment (and they won't get that unless they ask to backdate you claim to the eligible time, we won't do it automatically).

It's a terrible situation, claiments are crying on the phones daily. Suicidal. Some are at serious risk of eviction, some using food banks, many relying on kind friends and family to survive.

Well, I'm going to agree with myself that IANBU

YANBU.
It seems like every company I call now is like this...completely swamped. Your example is clearly worse due to the vulnerable nature of the clientele. Thanks for raising this OP. I take it you've had enough and are at the end of your tether?

Absolutely I am at the end of my tether.

People don't realise we have elderly people living on a tin of soup per day. Elderly peope that are living in the cold, very little food and now can't even watch the television because they can't afford the licence.

It makes me furious. Its heartbreaking.

My father applied for them at end of May got told he would hear back by 1 July and nothing at all . If only there was a means bu which you could check progress of claim online . I am just hoping that if he gets them he will get the cost of living payment as it should be backdated the Pension Credits

If he claimed after the 25th of may then he needed to say to them that he wanted it backdated. We are not allowed to backdate unless asked.

It's appalling- and government plans to reduce costs by stripping out yet more people will make it worse.

Hi yeah I filled in the form for him and asked for it to be backdated 3 months before hand