Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what estimate he has made of the number of pensioners living in rural, off-grid homes who are ineligible for Pension Credit but are in fuel poverty due to reliance on heating oil; and whether he plans to (a) review eligibility thresholds and (b) introduce targeted support for such households.

Pension Credit provides direct financial support to pensioner households on the lowest incomes, ensuring that they receive a guaranteed minimum level of income – the Standard Minimum Guarantee (SMG). The Standard Minimum Guarantee is subject to the Secretary of State’s annual statutory review of State Pension and benefit rates, and it will increase this year by 4.8% from April.