Minister claims that investment in automation tech will mean that citizens making calls to support services for Pension Credit will soon be able to reduce time spent on the phone
In a bid to reduce callers’ waiting times, the Department for Work and Pensions is to equip its helpline for Pension Credit claimants with voice-recognition technology.
The DWP is making an investment in upgrading the telephone service to incorporate a tool that enables to state their reason for calling – rather than having to navigate a list of options.
“We are investing in a new technology that aims to better route customers to the right service at the right time,” said pensions minister Torsten Bell. “Once deployed, this technology will reduce the time callers spend listening to a menu of choices and instead invite claimants to say why they are calling, at the start of the call.”
Pension Credit can offer additional financial support to State Pension recipients on low incomes. Bell added that other efforts to reduce wait times of those ringing the benefit’s helpline include the addition of hundreds of extra call-centre workers.
“In response to significantly increased demand, we have increased the resource in Pension Credit claims by over 500 additional staff through a combination of internal redeployments, use of external providers and external recruitment,” he said.
The minister, who was answering a written parliamentary question from fellow Labour MP Neil Duncan-Jordan, indicated that the department will continue to track the performance of the telephone line respond to traffic accordingly.
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“The DWP plans resourcing according to forecasted telephony demand in an effort to keep wait times down,” he said. “Wait time performance and forecasted demand is frequently reviewed and we are continually working to improve our telephony service.”
Responding to another written parliamentary question, submitted by Scottish National Party member Seamus Logan, Bell also flagged up technological improvements being made to the service for claiming Attendance Allowance – a benefit of up £108.55 per week for citizens who require care because of a disability or health condition.
“Attendance Allowance is currently undergoing a significant modernisation reform through the piloting of an online digital claim process as a part of the department’s wider Service Modernisation plans,” the minister said.
The SNP’s Logan had asked about the service’s performance and targets for processing claims. The average “clearance time” in January 2025 was 23 working days, according to Bell.
“There is a quick application process for people who have been diagnosed with a terminal illness and aren’t expected to live more than 12 months. These claims are fast tracked,” he added. “Please note, the Average Actual Clearance Time figure shown is unpublished management information, collected and intended for internal departmental use and has not been quality assured to National Statistics or Official Statistics publication standard. It is rounded to the nearest working day.”
Other government telephone services that have previously deployed similar automated voice systems include those offered by HM Revenue and Customs.
