Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what (a) data and (b) other information her Department provides to local authorities to identify pensioner households which could be eligible for support from the Household Support Fund.

DWP provides Authorities with a variety of data to assist in the identification of vulnerable pensioner households, which they may use in their targeting of the Household Support Fund. This includes, but is not limited to:

• the National Insurance number, names, addresses and contact telephone numbers of those in receipt of the Guarantee Credit and/or Savings Credit element of Pension Credit and their appointees if appropriate, as well as for all claimants on ESA (IR)
• the National Insurance number, names, addresses and contact telephone numbers of customers who are in receipt of HB but not in receipt of a means tested benefit (for example: UC, Income based Jobseekers Allowance, ESA (IR), Income Support and Pension Credit) or Tax Credits

Authorities are also encouraged to use their own data, local knowledge and networks to identify and target households in need, including those with pensioners.

The Government has announced funding to extend the Household Support Fund (HSF) for a further 6 months, from 1 October 2024 until 31 March 2025.

An additional £500 million will be provided to enable the extension of the HSF, including funding for the Devolved Governments through the Barnett formula to be spent at their discretion, as usual.

As with previous HSF schemes, the Fund will be made available to County Councils and Unitary Authorities in England to provide discretionary support to those most in need.

The HSF scheme guidance and individual Local Authority funding allocations for the forthcoming extension will be announced as soon as possible ahead of the scheme beginning on 1 October 2024.