Asked by: Lord Kempsell (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the potential health and social care impacts of the proposed loss of winter fuel payments.
Answered by Baroness Sherlock - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
The Government is committed to a preventative approach to public health. Keeping people warm and well at home and improving the quality of new and existing homes will play an essential part in enabling people to live longer, healthier lives and reducing pressures on the NHS.
Our continued commitment to the triple lock means the full new state pension is forecast to increase by a further £1,700 over this course of the parliament.
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.
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.
Asked by: Baroness Altmann (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact of removing Winter Fuel Payments, without further warning, on (1) pensioners whose incomes are a small amount above the Pension Credit threshold, and (2) those who are entitled to Pension Credit but do not claim it.
Answered by Baroness Sherlock - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
The Department continues to maximise opportunities to promote Pension Credit and to raise awareness of its wider benefits and to encourage pensioners to apply. The department uses a range of creative media including TV, press, radio and social media to boost awareness of the benefit. We engage with stakeholders, including other Government Departments, Councils, and charities, to harness their help and support to raise awareness through their networks and channels.
The Government is ensuring pensioners are supported through our commitment to protect the Triple Lock, over 12 million pensioners will benefit, with many expected to see their new State Pension increase by around £1700 over the course of this Parliament.
Additionally, the Government will invest an extra £6.6 billion over this Parliament in clean heat and energy efficiency through the Warm Homes Plan, upgrading five million homes through solutions like low carbon heating and improved insulation to reduce emissions and cut bills.
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 measures they propose to help the poorest pensioners who will lose their winter fuel allowance.
Answered by Baroness Sherlock - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
Over the next five years we expect over 12 million pensioners are likely to see their State Pensions increase by thousands of pounds as a result of our commitment to the Triple Lock.
We are 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.
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.
Sep. 17 2024
Source Page: NHS Pension Scheme annual report and accounts 2023 to 2024Found: The formula is not the same as that used for practitioners in the 1995 S cheme and 2008 Section.
Sep. 17 2024
Source Page: NHS Pension Scheme annual report and accounts 2022 to 2023Found: The formula is not the same as that used for practitioners in the 1995 Section and 2008 Section.
Sep. 17 2024
Source Page: Early years budget grant (EYBG) 2024 to 2025Found: One local authority will not receive a 'core' EYBG rate.
Sep. 17 2024
Source Page: Health briefing packs ahead of Scottish Parliament health committee: FOI releaseFound: We have committed to a review of NRAC funding formula.
Sep. 17 2024
Source Page: Health Board Funding Allocation: FOI releaseFound: The Committee calls on the Scottish Government to clarify whether the NRAC formula continues to be “the
Sep. 17 2024
Source Page: Summary statistics for schools in Scotland 2023 : Teacher numbers: FOI releaseFound: place central officers in vacant posts to ensure cover for schools and have HTs covering more than one
Mentions:
1: Kerr, Stephen (Con - Central Scotland) I cannot see anything in the bill that comes remotely close to one of those. - Speech Link
2: Kerr, Stephen (Con - Central Scotland) Frankly, I am with Liam Kerr, because I do not believe that there is only one Scots language. - Speech Link
3: Greer, Ross (Green - West Scotland) I think that it has mostly done that, and I have enjoyed the debate—with just one exception. - Speech Link
4: Duncan-Glancy, Pam (Lab - Glasgow) children.”They go on to say that they have made the case that“This should be reflected in the staffing formula - Speech Link
5: Forbes, Kate (SNP - Skye, Lochaber and Badenoch) For Gaelic and Scots, it has never been a case of there being one issue and one solution. - Speech Link