Sep. 19 2024
Source Page: Fosdenopterin for treating molybdenum cofactor deficiency type A [ID6264]Found: The model was validated using extreme values and formula auditing to ensure the consistency of model
Asked by: Lord McCrea of Magherafelt and Cookstown (Democratic Unionist Party - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact on pensioners of the withdrawal of the Winter Fuel Allowance.
Answered by Baroness Sherlock - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
Winter Fuel Payments will continue to be paid to pensioner households with someone receiving Pension Credit or certain other income-related benefits. They will continue to be worth £200 for eligible households, or £300 for eligible households with someone aged 80 and over.
Immediate support for pensioners includes our commitment to the Triple Lock, with over 12 million pensioners set to benefit through the course of this parliament, with the full yearly rate of the new State Pensions forecast to increase by around £1700.
We know there are low-income pensioners who aren’t claiming Pension Credit, and we urge those people to apply. This will passport them to receive Winter Fuel Payment alongside other benefits – hundreds of pounds that could really help them. The government will work with external partners and local authorities to boost the uptake of Pension Credit and to target additional support to the poorest pensioners. We will ensure that the poorest pensioners get the support they need.
We are also providing support for pensioners through our Warm Homes Plan which will support investment in insulation and low carbon heating – upgrading millions of homes over this Parliament. Our long-term plan will protect billpayers permanently, reduce fuel poverty, and get the UK back on track to meet our climate goals.
The Household Support Fund is also being extended for a further six months, from 1 October 2024 until 31 March 2025. An additional £421 million will be provided to enable the extension of the HSF in England, plus funding for the Devolved Governments through the Barnett formula to be spent at their discretion, as usual.
The Warm Home Discount scheme in England and Wales provides eligible low-income households across Great Britain with a £150 rebate on their electricity bill. This winter, we expect over three million households, including over one million pensioners, to benefit under the scheme.
Over the past two years, energy bills have fallen. Between 1 October to 31 December 2024 Ofgem’s energy price cap is set at £1717 per year for a typical household. This means the price cap for October to December 2024 will be more than 5% lower (£117 less) than for October to December 2023.
Our other steps include cutting waiting times in the NHS which will help many pensioners currently waiting in pain and discomfort for treatment, and delivering the economic stability which is so crucial for pensioners.
Sep. 18 2024
Source Page: The Agricultural Supply Chain Adjudicator (ASCA): making a complaintFound: The requirement to have a signed written milk purchase contract applies even where one or both parties
Sep. 18 2024
Source Page: UK/Luxembourg: Convention for the Elimination of Double Taxation and the Prevention of Tax Evasion and Avoidance [TS No.70/2024]Found: This Convention shall apply to persons who are residents of one or both of the Contracting States. 2.
Sep. 18 2024
Source Page: Amendment of the text of and annexes I, II, III, IV, VI and VIII to the 1998 Protocol on Persistent Organic Pollutants [TS No.68/2024]Found: On the expiry of one year from the date of its communication to all Parties by the Executive Secretary
Sep. 18 2024
Source Page: Collection rates for Council Tax and non-domestic rates in England, 2022 to 2023Found: The localised council tax support data as at 30 June reported in the QRC3 form are used in the formula
Mentions:
1: None The point about how you translate targets into action is a fair one. - Speech Link
2: None example, health, on which spending is devolved, so you get an amount of funding through the Barnett formula - Speech Link
3: Slater, Lorna (Green - Lothian) I have two questions, the second one of which has come up. - Speech Link
4: None It is one thing that one bit of the Government does, rather than thinking of everything that the Government - Speech Link
Asked by: Victoria Collins (Liberal Democrat - Harpenden and Berkhamsted)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of means-testing Winter Fuel Payments on pensioner poverty in Harpenden and Berkhamsted constituency.
Answered by Emma Reynolds - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
No such assessment has been made, as statistics for the total number of people living in poverty are not available at a constituency level.
This Government is committed to pensioners – everyone in our society, no matter their working history or savings deserves a comfortable and dignified retirement.
Winter Fuel Payments will continue to be paid to pensioner households with someone receiving Pension Credit or certain other income-related benefits. They will continue to be worth £200 for eligible households, or £300 for eligible households with someone aged over 80.
Immediate support for pensioners includes our commitment to the Triple Lock, with over 12 million pensioners set to benefit through the course of this parliament, with the full yearly rate of the new State Pensions forecast to increase by around £1700.
The Warm Home Discount scheme in England and Wales provides eligible low-income households across Great Britain with a £150 rebate on their electricity bill. This winter, we expect over three million households, including over one million pensioners, to benefit under the scheme.
We are also providing support for pensioners through our Warm Homes Plan which will support investment in insulation and low carbon heating – upgrading millions of homes over this Parliament. Our long-term plan will protect billpayers permanently, reduce fuel poverty, and get the UK back on track to meet our climate goals.
The Household Support Fund is also being extended for a further six months, from 1 October 2024 until 31 March 2025. An additional £421 million will be provided to enable the extension of the HSF in England, plus funding for the Devolved Governments through the Barnett formula to be spent at their discretion, as usual.
Asked by: Shivani Raja (Conservative - Leicester East)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps she plans to take to communicate the changes to Winter Fuel Payments to people affected; and what support she plans to provide to help pensioners (a) understand their eligibility and (b) access alternative support.
Answered by Emma Reynolds - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
From mid-October, all pensioners will receive a letter explaining the changes to Winter Fuel Payments this year and encouraging anyone who may eligible to claim Pension Credit by 21st December.
The Winter Fuel Payment page on Gov.uk has been updated with the new eligibility rules.
The Department will proceed at pace with its communication campaign to raise awareness of the changes and to promote Pension Credit. This will be followed by a Paid Partnership and national media campaign. There will then be continued marketing activity promoting the take-up of Pension Credit.
The Household Support Fund is also being extended for a further six months, from 1 October 2024 until 31 March 2025. An additional £421 million will be provided to enable the extension of the HSF in England, plus funding for the Devolved Governments through the Barnett formula to be spent at their discretion, as usual.
The Warm Home Discount scheme in England and Wales provides eligible low-income households across Great Britain with a £150 rebate on their electricity bill. This winter, we expect over three million households, including over one million pensioners, to benefit under the scheme.
Asked by: Lord Foulkes of Cumnock (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask His Majesty's Government what is their assessment of the proposals from (1) Age UK, and (2) Martin Lewis, to mitigate the losses faced by the poorest pensioners who will lose their winter fuel allowance.
Answered by Baroness Sherlock - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
Over the course of this Parliament we expect over 12 million pensioners are likely to see their new State Pensions increase by £1700 as a result of our commitment to the Triple Lock.
We are also providing support through our Warm Homes Plan which pensioners will benefit from. This will support investment in insulation and low carbon heating – upgrading millions of homes over this Parliament. Our long-term plan will protect billpayers permanently, reduce fuel poverty, and get the UK back on track to meet our climate goals.
The Warm Home Discount scheme in England and Wales provides eligible low-income households across Great Britain with a £150 rebate on their electricity bill. This winter, we expect over three million households, including over one million pensioners, to benefit under the scheme.
The Household Support Fund is also being extended for a further six months, from 1 October 2024 until 31 March 2025. An additional £421 million will be provided to enable the extension of the HSF in England, plus funding for the Devolved Governments through the Barnett formula to be spent at their discretion, as usual.
With regards to the suggestion that Winter Fuel Payments are paid to pensioners according to their council tax band, this would not be possible as my Department does not hold data on people’s council tax banding. Additionally council tax band is not always an accurate reflection of someone’s income.
We know there are low-income pensioners who aren’t claiming Pension Credit, and we urge those people to apply. This will passport them to receive Winter Fuel Payment alongside other benefits – hundreds of pounds that could really help them. We will ensure that the poorest pensioners get the support they need.