Old Age Pension claims up to July 14 processed as DSS works through backlog

All Old Age Pension applications from men aged 60 to 64 received up to July 14 have now been processed, the Government of Gibraltar said, as the Department of Social Security works through a backlog created by the reduction in the pensionable age for men.

The pensionable age for men was reduced from 65 to 60 on July 1, meaning five years’ worth of new pensioners became eligible to apply at the same time in addition to the department’s normal workload.

The Government said the great majority of men expected to benefit from the change had already submitted applications.

Applicants whose claims were received up to and including July 14 have either been paid or are at the final checking stage before payment.

Bank transfers can take a few working days to reach applicants’ accounts.

The department is now processing applications received from July 15 onwards in the order in which they were received.

Each application requires officials to verify an applicant’s full contribution record from the age of 20.

Claims are also being calculated under both the previous 45-year divisor and the new 40-year divisor following changes to the contribution formula.

The Government said this was being done to ensure each applicant receives whichever entitlement is higher.

Department staff have been working on Saturdays and after hours to process the applications, with former DSS staff also providing support on Saturdays.

The Government said the pace of processing was increasing now that the peak summer leave period had ended.

The department has also received applications from women seeking to have their pensions reassessed on the basis of their husband’s contributions where this would result in a higher pension rate. Those applications are also being processed.

Anyone aged 60 or over who has not yet applied has been encouraged to submit an application to the Department of Social Security.

The Chief Minister, Fabian Picardo, said: “Equalising the pensionable age at 60 was a long-standing promise to the men of Gibraltar, and we have kept it, at a time when every other country in Europe is pushing pensionable ages up, not down.”

“The complaint I hear is not that we should not be paying men their pension at 60. It is that we are not paying it fast enough. I understand that, and so does the Department of Social Security, which is why its staff have given up their Saturdays to get through five years' worth of applications in one go.”

“Every man who is entitled will be paid, and paid in full, with any arrears due to him. I want to thank the men and women of the Department for the work they are putting in, and to thank applicants for their patience."