Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the administrative cost to her Department will be to means-test Winter Fuel payments.

The department will deliver this year’s winter fuel payments within the existing planned headcount and budget. This is due to linking eligibility to Winter Fuel with existing means tested benefits rather than means testing Winter Fuel separately.

In terms of administrative costs, in 2022/23 the Department for Work and Pensions spent £2.6m on the administration of Winter Fuel Payments. It is currently assessing the delivery costs current and future years.