Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what estimate her Department has made of the potential impact of the (a) introduction of means-testing for Winter Fuel Payments and (b) Pension Credit Week of Action campaign on the (i) number of people who claim Pension Credit and (ii) cost to the public purse for (A) Pension Credit and (B) other associated passported benefits in (1) this financial year and (2) each of the next four financial years.

The Government estimates that linking entitlement to receipt of Pension Credit and other relevant DWP income-related benefits will reduce expenditure by around £1.4 billion in 2024/25 and £1.5 billion in 2025/26, based on the assumption of a 5% increase of Pension Credit take-up.

Winter Fuel Payments are classified as Annual Managed Expenditure (AME). The estimated savings are sensitive to forecasted take up of Pension Credit. The final savings will be certified and published by the Office for Budget responsibility at the Autumn Budget on the 30th October, taking account of any behavioural response.

With regards to the associated passported benefits in this financial year and each of the next four financial years, the DWP does not hold this information.