Hello, does anyone know whether the extended Pension Credit backdating after October 2004 will be available to all claimants who ask for it? Or will it depend on having good cause for delaying the claim, like HB/CTB?

From 6 October 2004. The special backdating conditions of the take-on period will no longer apply. Any Pension Credit claim made on or after 6 October 2004 will not be automatically considered for backdating. Consideration will only be given when the claimant requests the backdating of the claim to be considered, and will be considered under normal backdating rules. However, the period over which a Pension Credit claim may be backdated will be 3 months instead of the 1 month which applies to MIG.

ashyk ... i'm afraid i disagree -

The Government unveiled plans for more generous backdating rules for Pension Credit in the Budget

See - http://www.rightsnet.org.uk/cgi-bin/forwardsql/search.cgi?template2=user_details2.htm&output_number=1&news.ID=317143531522

Currently applications for Pension Credit received before October 2004 are backdated to its introduction in October 2003 or the date of entitlement if that is later, and for applications received after October 2004, the maximum period of backdating allowed is set at three months.

The Government announced that for applications received after October 2004, the maximum period of backdating allowed will be extended to 12 months.

Assume it will be automatic as now.

If you can get hold of a copy of the chancellor's last budget I think I remember him telling us his plans then.