Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps he has taken to work with local authorities to ensure that residents in council accommodation are supported during periods of cold weather in Romford constituency.

The government understands the pressures people are facing with the cost of living and has taken further decisive action to support people with their energy bills.

For people who require additional support in England, the current Household Support Fund runs from April 2023 until the end of March 2024. This allows local authorities to continue to provide discretionary support to those struggling to afford the cost of essentials including energy bills and wider related essentials.

The Household Support Fund is an intentionally flexible scheme designed to enable Local Authorities to respond to local need within the overall framework set by Department for Work and Pensions, since they can use their ties and knowledge to best determine how this support should be provided to local communities. The current scheme is the largest ever, worth £842 million across the current financial year. Of this, the allocation for Havering from April 2023 to March 2024 is £3,296,302, bringing their total allocation since October 2021 to £8,240,755.

Cold Weather Payments are also available to help vulnerable people in receipt of certain income-related benefits in England and Wales to meet additional heating costs, during periods of unseasonably cold weather between 1 November and 31 March. Those eligible will automatically receive £25 when the average temperature has been recorded as, or is forecast to be, 0°C or below over seven consecutive days.

8.9 million pensioner households received a £300 Pensioner Cost of Living Payment as a top up to their Winter Fuel Payment from November 2023.  Increasing payments to £500 for households with someone aged 66-79 and £600 for households with someone aged 80 and over.