Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment his Department has made of the feasibility of paying winter fuel allowance payments directly to energy providers; and if he will make a statement.

Last year the Department undertook an initial feasibility assessment of a voucher scheme to pay Winter Fuel Payments directly to energy providers. It showed that there would be significant additional administrative complexities and costs to the energy providers which were likely to directly increase the fuel bills for all customers and we expected that a significant number of the most vulnerable pensioners would lose out by not redeeming their voucher.