Asked by: Lee Anderson (Reform UK - Ashfield)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, why was no cost benefit analysis done for the change to the Winter Fuel Allowance entitlement.
Answered by Emma Reynolds - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
There is no requirement to carry out a cost benefit analysis for all policy changes. A policy costing will be published as standard following the Autumn Budget 2024. An equality analysis was produced as part of Ministerial decision making in line with the requirements of the Public Sector Equality Duty.
Asked by: Lee Anderson (Reform UK - Ashfield)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what estimate she has made of the number of pensioners who will not be eligible for the Winter Fuel Payment in Ashfield constituency.
Answered by Emma Reynolds - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
It is estimated that around 15,800 pensioners in Ashfield Constituency (2024 boundaries) will be impacted by the decision to amend the eligibility criteria for the Winter Fuel Payment. This is based on February 2024 Pension Credit statistics which are available via DWP Stat-Xplore and the Winter Fuel Payment statistics for winter 2023 to 2024 - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk).
This estimation is calculated by subtracting the number of people claiming Pension Credit in Ashfield Constituency from the number of Winter Fuel Payment recipients in Ashfield Constituency. It is possible to use the Pension Credit statistics, to give a minimum estimate of the number who may be eligible for Winter Fuel Payments. Therefore, the above estimation is essentially the number of Winter Fuel Payment recipients who are not claiming Pension Credit pre-policy change, as an estimate of those who will no longer receive the Winter Fuel Payment.
Please note that the above estimation would not take into account any potential increase in Pension Credit take-up that we might see as a result of the Government’s Pension Credit Awareness Campaign. We do not have data on those additional Pension Credit claims by Parliamentary constituencies or Local Authorities.
The published Pension Credit figures refer to households, so the number of individuals in respect of whom Pension Credit is paid will be higher (i.e. taking account of households where a claimant has a partner and / or dependents.)
In addition, while Pension Credit claimants constitute the majority of those that will be eligible for the Winter Fuel Payment, pensioners who claim other qualifying means-tested benefits will also be eligible for the Winter Fuel Payment. It is not, however, possible to include those on other qualifying means-tested benefits in these figures.
Asked by: Lee Anderson (Reform UK - Ashfield)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what estimate she has made of the number of people that will be affected by the proposed changes to pensioners' eligibility for the Winter Fuel Payment in Ashfield constituency.
Answered by Emma Reynolds - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
It is estimated that around 15,800 pensioners in Ashfield Constituency (2024 boundaries) will be impacted by the decision to amend the eligibility criteria for the Winter Fuel Payment. This is based on February 2024 Pension Credit statistics which are available via DWP Stat-Xplore and the Winter Fuel Payment statistics for winter 2023 to 2024 - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk) which are available via GOV.UK.
This estimation is calculated by subtracting the number of people claiming Pension Credit in Ashfield Constituency from the number of Winter Fuel Payment recipients in Ashfield Constituency. It is possible to use the Pension Credit statistics, to give a minimum estimate of the number who may be eligible for Winter Fuel Payments. Therefore, the above estimation is essentially the number of Winter Fuel Payment recipients who are not claiming Pension Credit pre-policy change, as an estimate of those who will no longer receive the Winter Fuel Payment.
Please note that the above estimation would not take into account any potential increase in Pension Credit take-up that we might see as a result of the Government’s Pension Credit Awareness Campaign. We do not have data on those additional Pension Credit claims by Parliamentary constituencies or Local Authorities.
The published Pension Credit figures refer to households, so the number of individuals in respect of whom Pension Credit is paid will be higher (i.e. taking account of households where a claimant has a partner and / or dependents.)
In addition, while Pension Credit claimants constitute the majority of those that will be eligible for the Winter Fuel Payment, pensioners who claim other qualifying means-tested benefits will also be eligible for the Winter Fuel Payment. It is not, however, possible to include those on other qualifying means-tested benefits in these figures.
Asked by: Lee Anderson (Reform UK - Ashfield)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, on what evidential basis she set levels of means-testing for the Winter Fuel Payment.
Answered by Emma Reynolds - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
Pension Credit (and the other qualifying income-related benefits payable to pensioners) is the most practical proxy to target Winter Fuel Payments at those on a low-income. Linking entitlement to Pension Credit ensures that we can pay almost all eligible pensioners automatically, without the need to claim the WFP. This means that the Winter Fuel Payment will be better targeted to low-income pensioners who need it.
We will ensure that the poorest pensioners get the support they need. The government will work with external partners and local authorities to boost the take-up of Pension Credit and to target additional support to the poorest pensioners.
We know there are low-income pensioners who aren’t claiming Pension Credit, and we are urging pensioners to come forward and check their eligibility for Pension Credit to ensure as many people in need as possible have access to this support. This will passport them to receive Winter Fuel Payment alongside other benefits – hundreds of pounds that could really help them.
Asked by: Lee Anderson (Reform UK - Ashfield)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what estimate she has made of the cost to the public purse of bringing together the administration of Pension Credit and Housing Benefit.
Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
No definitive estimate has yet been made as to the full cost of this policy. The Department has already begun working with local authorities to ensure that take-up of Pension Credit is maximised and implementation is appropriately planned. This work will help further our understanding of the costs so we deliver consistent and high quality support to pensioners.
Asked by: Lee Anderson (Reform UK - Ashfield)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps her Department is taking to support pensioners who are no longer eligible for winter fuel payments.
Answered by Emma Reynolds - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
Winter Fuel Payments will continue to be paid to pensioner households with someone receiving Pension Credit or certain other income-related benefits. They will continue to be worth £200 for eligible households, or £300 for eligible households with someone aged 80 and over.
We know there are low-income pensioners who aren’t claiming Pension Credit, and we urge those people to apply. This will passport them to receive Winter Fuel Payment alongside other benefits – hundreds of pounds that could really help them. We will ensure that the poorest pensioners get the support they need.
The State Pension is the foundation of income in retirement and will remain so protecting 12 million pensioners through the triple lock. Based on current forecasts, the full rate of the new state pension is set to increase by £1,700 over the course of this Parliament.
The Warm Home Discount scheme in England and Wales provides eligible low-income households across Great Britain with a £150 rebate on their electricity bill. This winter, we expect over three million households, including over one million pensioners, to benefit under the scheme.
We are also providing support for pensioners through our Warm Homes Plan which will support investment in insulation and low carbon heating – upgrading millions of homes over this Parliament. Our long-term plan will protect billpayers permanently, reduce fuel poverty, and get the UK back on track to meet our climate goals.
The Household Support Fund is also being extended for a further six months, from 1 October 2024 until 31 March 2025. An additional £421 million will be provided to enable the extension of the HSF in England, plus funding for the Devolved Governments through the Barnett formula to be spent at their discretion, as usual.
Asked by: Lee Anderson (Reform UK - Ashfield)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps his Department is taking to support people with (a) disabilities and (b) long-term health conditions into work.
Answered by Tom Pursglove
A range of Government initiatives are supporting disabled people, and people with health conditions, including those with long-term health conditions, to start, stay, and succeed in work. These include:
To tackle rising economic inactivity due to long-term sickness, we announced a wide-reaching package at the Spring Budget to support disabled people and people with health conditions to work. New investment will provide faster access to joined-up work and health support, including for mental health and musculoskeletal conditions, the two leading causes of economic inactivity due to long term sickness.
Asked by: Lee Anderson (Reform UK - Ashfield)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps his department is taking to improve the speed of processing Disability Living Allowance decisions for children.
Answered by Tom Pursglove
We are currently experiencing higher than forecast demand for claims to Disability Living Allowance. We have already increased resources and have on-going recruitment to increase this further, which will speed up clearance times moving forward.
Asked by: Lee Anderson (Reform UK - Ashfield)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what financial support is available for people suffering from cystic fibrosis.
Answered by Tom Pursglove
A range of benefits are available to provide support for those with health conditions and disabilities, including Cystic Fibrosis, that impact a person's ability to undertake daily activities or impact their functional capability for work.
People on low, or no, income or earnings, who have a health condition or disability which restricts the amount of work they can do or prevents them from working altogether, and where they meet the entitlement criteria, can claim UC and/or NS ESA with a valid fit note from a clinician. Personal Independence Payment, Attendance Allowance, and Disability Living Allowance for Children, are not means-tested and provide financial support arising from the extra costs of having a health condition or disability.
The Government understands the pressures people are facing with the cost of living this winter and is taking action to help. The Government's Energy Price Guarantee will save a typical British household around £900 this winter, based on what energy prices would have been under the current price cap - reducing bills by roughly a third. This is in addition to the £400 non-repayable discount to eligible households provided through the Energy Bills Support Scheme, paid over six months starting in October 2022.
In addition, for 2023/24, households on eligible means-tested benefits will get up to £900 in Cost of Living Payments, subject to parliamentary approval. This will be split into three payments of around £300 each across the 2023/24 financial year. A separate £300 payment will be made to pensioner households, on top of their Winter Fuel Payments, and individuals in receipt of eligible disability benefits will receive a £150 payment. Further to this, the Energy Price Guarantee will be extended from April 2023 until the end of March 2024. Over this period the Energy Price Guarantee will bring a typical household bill to around £3,000 per year in Great Britain.
Asked by: Lee Anderson (Reform UK - Ashfield)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what plans his Department has to provide further financial support to Kinship Carers to help with the cost of living.
Answered by Mims Davies - Shadow Minister for Women and Equalities
The Government understands the pressures people are facing, with the cost of living. That is why the Government introduced a £37 billion Cost of Living support package, which ensures that the most vulnerable households will receive at least £1,200 this year.
The £650 Cost of Living Payment, split into two payments for those on means-tested benefits, is one of a number of measures included in the Government’s support package. To be eligible for a Cost of Living Payment, claimants must have received a payment (or later receive a payment) of one of the qualifying means-tested benefits during the eligibility period. The eligibility period for the second £324 payment is 26 August to the 25 September 2022.
Depending on personal circumstances, kinship carers may be eligible for means-tested benefits, including Universal Credit and Child Tax Credit.
In addition, a non-repayable £400 discount on energy bills is available for all domestic electricity customers in Great Britain and earlier this year, a £150 non-repayable rebate in Council Tax bills benefited all households in Bands A-D in England.
To find out more about the Government’s cost of living support, visit: Cost of Living Payment - GOV.UK