Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if she will make an estimate of the number of people in (a) Witham constituency and (b) Essex who (i) are eligible for the Winter Fuel Payment and (ii) will be eligible for the payment under the proposed changed eligibility requirements; and what the estimated value of those payments is.

In winter 2023 to 2024, a) 21,661 pensioners in Witham constituency (2024 boundaries) and b) 353,463 pensioners in Essex received a Winter Fuel Payment. This is based on the Winter Fuel Payment statistics for winter 2023 to 2024 - Winter Fuel Payment statistics for winter 2023 to 2024 - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk).

It is estimated that around a) 1,681 pensioners in Witham Constituency and b) 34,541 pensioners in Essex will receive Winter Fuel Payment following the changes in eligibility criteria for Winter Fuel Payment. This is based on February 2024 Pension Credit statistics which are available via DWP Stat-Xplore. It is possible to use the Pension Credit statistics to give a minimum estimate of the number who may be eligible for Winter Fuel Payments.

Please note that we do not hold information on the estimated value of these payments.

The estimates for Essex have been calculated by combining the data for the following 14 Local Authorities in Essex: Southend-on-Sea, Thurrock, Braintree, Brentwood, Basildon, Castle Point, Chelmsford, Colchester, Epping Forest, Harlow, Maldon, Rochford, Tendring and Uttlesford.

The above estimation would not take into account any potential increase in Pension Credit take-up that we might see as a result of the Government’s Pension Credit Awareness Campaign. We do not have data on those additional Pension Credit claims by Parliamentary constituencies or Local Authorities.

The published Pension Credit figures refer to households, so the number of individuals in respect of whom Pension Credit is paid will be higher (i.e., taking account of households where a claimant has a partner and / or dependents.)

In addition, while Pension Credit claimants constitute the majority of those that will be eligible for the Winter Fuel Payment, pensioners who claim other qualifying means-tested benefits will also be eligible for the Winter Fuel Payment. It is not, however, possible to include those on other qualifying means-tested benefits in these figures.