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1729046

	registered interest
	date	11/09/2024
	answering body	Department for Work and Pensions
	answering dept id	29
	answering dept short name	Work and Pensions
	answering dept sort name	Work and Pensions
	hansard heading	Social Security Benefits: Pay
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to ensure that information published about the total value of benefits paid to claimants, including available discount schemes and grants, can be readily compared with employee salaries, which are usually quoted before tax.
	tabling member printed	Baroness Buscombe
	uin	HL958
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 20/09/2024 answer text <p>The Government has no such plans. Independent, free and anonymous benefit calculators are available that can help individuals to see how their benefits are affected if they start work or increase their hours. Benefit calculators can be found on gov.uk.</p> answering member printed Baroness Sherlock question first answered 20/09/2024 11:25:24 answering member 4147 label Biography information for Baroness Sherlock
	tabling member	3349 label Biography information for Baroness Buscombe

1727385

	registered interest
	date	04/09/2024
	answering body	Department for Work and Pensions
	answering dept id	29
	answering dept short name	Work and Pensions
	answering dept sort name	Work and Pensions
	hansard heading	Winter Fuel Payment: Lincolnshire
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if she will make an estimate of the number of households that will be affected by the proposed change to the eligibility criteria for Winter Fuel Payments in (a) South Holland and the Deepings constituency and (b) Lincolnshire.
	tabling member constituency	South Holland and The Deepings
	tabling member printed	Sir John Hayes
	uin	4176
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 19/09/2024 answer text <p>The Pension Credit data that is used is based on the 2010 Westminster Parliamentary constituencies, not 2024, in order to be comparable with the Winter Fuel Payments statistics. The Pension Credit &amp; Winter Fuel Payments statistics aren’t available for Lincolnshire. Therefore, to obtain the below figures, the Winter Fuel Payment &amp; Pension Credit figures for the following parliamentary constituencies have been combined: Boston and Skegness, Gainsborough, Grantham and Stamford, Lincoln, Louth and Horncastle, Rutland and Melton, Sleaford and North Hykeham, and South Holland and The Deepings.</p><p> </p><p>Around an estimated 15,000 and 120,000 households in South Holland and the Deepings constituency, and Lincolnshire, respectively, will be affected by the proposed change to the eligibility criteria for Winter Fuel Payments. These are based on the 22/23 Winter Fuel Payment statistics and Feb-24 Pension Credit statistics (sources shown below).</p><p> </p><p>This estimation is calculated by subtracting the number of Pension Credit recipients for South Holland and the Deepings constituency, and Lincolnshire from the number of Winter Fuel Payment recipients for South Holland and the Deepings constituency, and Lincolnshire. This is essentially the number of Winter Fuel Payment recipients pre-policy change not claiming Pension Credit, as an estimate of those who will no longer receive Winter Fuel Payment.</p><p> </p><p>Also, the above figures do not take into account any potential increase in Pension Credit take-up 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.</p><p> </p><p>Furthermore, Pension Credit claimants are the majority of those that will be eligible for Winter Fuel Payments, not all. There are other pensioners who are eligible for Winter Fuel Payments (as they claim other means tested benefits) but they are not considered in these figures as it is not possible to do so.</p><p><strong> </strong></p><p><strong>Source:</strong></p><p><strong> </strong></p><p>The Winter Fuel Payments statistics are published here:</p><p><a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/winter-fuel-payment-statistics-for-winter-2022-to-2023" target="_blank">Winter Fuel Payment statistics for winter 2022 to 2023 - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)</a></p><p><strong> </strong></p><p>Pension Credit data is published here: <a href="https://stat-xplore.dwp.gov.uk/webapi/openinfopage?id=PC_New" target="_blank">Pension Credit – Data from May 2018</a></p> answering member constituency Wycombe answering member printed Emma Reynolds question first answered 19/09/2024 12:52:51 answering member 4077 label Biography information for Emma Reynolds
	tabling member	350 label Biography information for Sir John Hayes

1727773

	registered interest
	date	05/09/2024
	answering body	Department for Work and Pensions
	answering dept id	29
	answering dept short name	Work and Pensions
	answering dept sort name	Work and Pensions
	hansard heading	Pension Credit
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking (1) to encourage the take up of Pension Credit, and (2) to simplify the application process.
	tabling member printed	Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth
	uin	HL787
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 19/09/2024 answer text <p>The Department is running a national uptake campaign to encourage the estimated up to 880,000 citizens who may be entitled to Pension Credit apply for it<em>. </em>The Department is in the process of modernising the Pension Credit delivery and has previously undertaken an assessment of the application process and introduced online claims in addition to telephone and paper claims. DWP Agents and third-party organisations are available to support customers with the application process.</p> answering member printed Baroness Sherlock question first answered 19/09/2024 15:07:10 answering member 4147 label Biography information for Baroness Sherlock
	tabling member	4282 label Biography information for Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth

1727787

	registered interest
	date	05/09/2024
	answering body	Department for Work and Pensions
	answering dept id	29
	answering dept short name	Work and Pensions
	answering dept sort name	Work and Pensions
	hansard heading	Winter Fuel Payment
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact on pensioners of the withdrawal of the Winter Fuel Allowance.
	tabling member printed	Lord McCrea of Magherafelt and Cookstown
	uin	HL804
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 19/09/2024 answer text <p>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.</p><p> </p><p>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.</p><p> </p><p>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.</p><p> </p><p>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.</p><p>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.</p><p>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.</p><p>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.</p><p> </p><p>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.</p> answering member printed Baroness Sherlock question first answered 19/09/2024 15:15:45 answering member 4147 label Biography information for Baroness Sherlock
	tabling member	655 label Biography information for Lord McCrea of Magherafelt and Cookstown

1727884

	registered interest
	date	06/09/2024
	answering body	Department for Work and Pensions
	answering dept id	29
	answering dept short name	Work and Pensions
	answering dept sort name	Work and Pensions
	hansard heading	Winter Fuel Payment: Rutland and Stamford
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people are eligible for the Winter Fuel Payment in Rutland and Stamford constituency; and what estimate she has made of the number of people who will be eligible under the proposed changed eligibility requirements.
	tabling member constituency	Rutland and Stamford
	tabling member printed	Alicia Kearns
	uin	4548
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 19/09/2024 answer text <p>The Pension Credit data that is used is based on the 2010 Westminster Parliamentary constituencies, not 2024, in order to be comparable with the Winter Fuel Payments statistics. Further to the completion of the 2023 Periodic Review of Westminster constituencies, Rutland and Stamford is a newly formed constituency. Therefore, data on Rutland and Stamford constituency is not currently available. The new constituency of Rutland and Stamford includes the following areas: The County of Rutland and the parts of Harborough District, including Thurnby, from the abolished constituency of Rutland and Melton, as well as the town of Stamford and surrounding areas from Grantham and Stamford, which has been largely replaced by Grantham and Bourne. To obtain the below estimates for Rutland and Stamford constituency, data on the previous Rutland and Melton constituency and Grantham and Stamford constituency have been combined.</p><p> </p><p>Before the change in eligibility requirements, an estimated 48,351 people in Rutland and Stamford constituency were eligible for and received Winter Fuel Payments, based on 22/23 Winter Fuel Payment statistics. After the change in eligibility requirements, it is estimated that around 3,365 people in Rutland and Stamford constituency will be eligible for Winter Fuel Payments, based on Feb-24 Pension Credit statistics. This is essentially the number of Pension Credit recipients in Rutland and Stamford constituency and is used as an indicator of how many pensioners will be eligible for Winter Fuel Payment.</p><p> </p><p>The above estimates are likely to be an overestimate as the new Rutland and Stamford constituency consists of some of the areas of the previous Rutland and Melton constituency and the previous Grantham and Stamford constituency, not all.</p><p> </p><p>Also, the above figures do not take into account any potential increase in Pension Credit take-up 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.</p><p> </p><p>Furthermore, the published Pension Credit figures refer to households, so the number of individuals will be higher (i.e., taking account of households where it is a couple claiming Pension Credit).</p><p> </p><p>In addition to that, Pension Credit claimants are the majority of those that will be eligible for Winter Fuel Payments, not all. There are other pensioners who are eligible for Winter Fuel Payments (as they claim other means tested benefits) but they are not considered in these figures as it is not possible to do so.</p><p><strong> </strong></p><p><strong>Source: </strong></p><p><strong> </strong></p><p>The Winter Fuel Payments statistics are published here:</p><p><a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/winter-fuel-payment-statistics-for-winter-2022-to-2023" target="_blank">Winter Fuel Payment statistics for winter 2022 to 2023 - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)</a></p><p><strong> </strong></p><p>Pension Credit data is published here: <a href="https://stat-xplore.dwp.gov.uk/webapi/openinfopage?id=PC_New" target="_blank">Pension Credit – Data from May 2018</a></p> answering member constituency Wycombe answering member printed Emma Reynolds question first answered 19/09/2024 12:55:14 answering member 4077 label Biography information for Emma Reynolds
	tabling member	4805 label Biography information for Alicia Kearns

1725582

	registered interest
	date	30/08/2024
	answering body	Department for Work and Pensions
	answering dept id	29
	answering dept short name	Work and Pensions
	answering dept sort name	Work and Pensions
	hansard heading	Winter Fuel Payment
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if she will publish an (a) impact statement and (b) equalities impact assessment of means-testing the winter fuel payment.
	tabling member constituency	Hayes and Harlington
	tabling member printed	John McDonnell
	uin	2710
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 18/09/2024 answer text <p>The Regulations entered into force on 16 September, the first day of the Winter Fuel Payment qualifying week.</p><p> </p><p>A regulatory impact assessment has not been produced for this legislation because the effect is on individuals and private households rather than businesses or voluntary sector organisations.</p><p> </p><p>In making a decision on Winter Fuel Payment eligibility, the Government had regard to an equality analysis in line with the Public Sector Equality Duty requirements. The equality analysis was published on Friday 13th September, and can be found here: <a href="https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/66e479bfe47cfc6de429d713/FOI2024_65546_13_09_24.pdf" target="_blank">FOI2024_65546_13_09_24.pdf (publishing.service.gov.uk)</a>.</p><p><strong> </strong></p> answering member constituency Wycombe answering member printed Emma Reynolds question first answered 18/09/2024 15:22:49 answering member 4077 label Biography information for Emma Reynolds
	tabling member	178 label Biography information for John McDonnell

1725867

	registered interest
	date	30/08/2024
	answering body	Department for Work and Pensions
	answering dept id	29
	answering dept short name	Work and Pensions
	answering dept sort name	Work and Pensions
	hansard heading	State Retirement Pensions: Women
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, with reference to the report by the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman entitled Women’s State Pension age: our findings on injustice and associated issues, published on 21 March 2024, HC 638, whether her Department has made an estimate of the number of women born in the 1950s who have been affected by the State Pension age changes considered in that report.
	tabling member constituency	Liverpool Riverside
	tabling member printed	Kim Johnson
	uin	3184
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 18/09/2024 answer text <p>The Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman’s report published on 21 March 2024 considers the communication to 1950s born women of the equalisation and increase of the State Pension age introduced by the Pensions Acts of 1995, 2007 and 2011. The Acts (collectively) increased the State Pension age for all women born after 5 April 1950. Based on current ONS figures it is estimated that there are around 3.5 million women who saw an increase in their State Pension age and were born in the 1950s.</p> answering member constituency Wycombe answering member printed Emma Reynolds question first answered 18/09/2024 14:00:10 answering member 4077 label Biography information for Emma Reynolds
	tabling member	4824 label Biography information for Kim Johnson

1726053

	registered interest
	date	30/08/2024
	answering body	Department for Work and Pensions
	answering dept id	29
	answering dept short name	Work and Pensions
	answering dept sort name	Work and Pensions
	hansard heading	Winter Fuel Payment
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	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.
	tabling member constituency	Leicester East
	tabling member printed	Shivani Raja
	uin	3344
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 18/09/2024 answer text <p>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.</p><p> </p><p>The Winter Fuel Payment page on <a href="https://www.gov.uk/winter-fuel-payment/eligibility#:~:text=You can get a Winter,Pension Credit" target="_blank">Gov.uk</a> has been updated with the new eligibility rules.</p><p> </p><p>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.</p><p>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.</p><p>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.</p> answering member constituency Wycombe answering member printed Emma Reynolds question first answered 18/09/2024 16:36:10 answering member 4077 label Biography information for Emma Reynolds
	tabling member	5068

1726090

	registered interest
	date	30/08/2024
	answering body	Department for Work and Pensions
	answering dept id	29
	answering dept short name	Work and Pensions
	answering dept sort name	Work and Pensions
	hansard heading	Winter Fuel Payment: Huntingdon
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what proportion of pensioners in Huntingdon constituency will lose winter fuel payment.
	tabling member constituency	Huntingdon
	tabling member printed	Ben Obese-Jecty
	uin	3378
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 18/09/2024 answer text <p>The Pension Credit data is based on the 2010 Westminster Parliamentary constituencies, not 2024 in order to be comparable with the Winter Fuel Payments statistics.</p><p></p><p>The estimated number of pensioners in Huntingdon constituency who will lose Winter Fuel Payments is 21,148, this equates to a proportion of 93%. This is based on Feb-24 Pension Credit statistics and 22/23 Winter Fuel Payment statistics, (sources below).</p><p> </p><p>The estimation is calculated by subtracting the number of Pension Credit recipients for Huntingdon Constituency (2010 boundary) from the number of Winter Fuel Payment recipients for Huntingdon constituency. Please note that Pension Credit claimants are the majority of those that will be eligible for Winter Fuel Payments, not all. There are other pensioners who are eligible for Winter Fuel Payments (as they claim other means tested benefits) but they are not considered in these figures as it is not possible to do so.</p><p> </p><p>Furthermore, the above does not take into account any potential increase in Pension Credit take-up we might see as a result of the policy change (means testing Winter fuel payments to those on Pension Credit and other means tested benefits). We do not have data on those additional Pension Credit claims by Parliamentary constituencies or local authorities.</p><p> </p><p>Also, the published Pension Credit figures refer to households rather than individuals, so the number of individuals claiming Pension Credit, will be higher (i.e. taking account of households where it is a couple claiming Pension Credit).</p><p><strong> </strong></p><p><strong>Sources used:</strong></p><p><strong> </strong></p><p><a href="https://view.officeapps.live.com/op/view.aspx?src=https%3A%2F%2Fassets.publishing.service.gov.uk%2Fmedia%2F6507ffd2fc63f6000d9573a0%2Fwinter-fuel-payments-caseload-2022-to-2023.ods&amp;wdOrigin=BROWSELINK" target="_blank">winter-fuel-payments-caseload-2022-to-2023.ods (live.com)</a></p><p> </p><p><a href="https://stat-xplore.dwp.gov.uk/webapi/jsf/tableView/tableView.xhtml" target="_blank">Stat-Xplore - Table View (dwp.gov.uk)</a> (Feb-24 data)</p><p><strong> </strong></p> answering member constituency Wycombe answering member printed Emma Reynolds question first answered 18/09/2024 08:48:34 answering member 4077 label Biography information for Emma Reynolds
	tabling member	5089

1726164

	registered interest
	date	30/08/2024
	answering body	Department for Work and Pensions
	answering dept id	29
	answering dept short name	Work and Pensions
	answering dept sort name	Work and Pensions
	hansard heading	Pension Credit and Winter Fuel Payment
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what recent estimate she has made of the number of pensioners not in receipt of Pension Credit living in (a) relative and (b) absolute poverty; and what estimate she has made of the number of additional pensioners who will be living in (i) relative and (ii) absolute poverty as a result of no longer receiving the Winter Fuel Payment.
	tabling member constituency	Lowestoft
	tabling member printed	Jess Asato
	uin	3440
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 18/09/2024 answer text <p>For the latest year 2022/23, 1.9 million pensioners were in relative poverty after housing costs (AHC). Of these, 1.6 million pensioners were not in receipt of Pension Credit.</p><p>For the latest year 2022/23, 1.4 million pensioners were in absolute poverty AHC. Of these, 1.2 million pensioners were not in receipt of Pension Credit.</p><p> </p><p>A household is in relative poverty if its income is less than 60 per cent of the median household income in a given financial year. ​A household is in absolute poverty if its income is less than 60% of median household income in 2010/11, uprated by inflation.​</p><p> </p><p>‘Households Below Average Income’ provides estimates on the number of and percentage of people living in low-income households based on their household disposable income. As an income measure, it does not include other available resources that might impact on a household’s poverty levels such as savings.</p><p> </p><p>These numbers have been rounded to the nearest 100,000.</p><p> </p><p>This data is available on Stat-Xplore at <a href="https://stat-xplore.dwp.gov.uk" target="_blank">https://stat-xplore.dwp.gov.uk</a> in the ‘Households Below Average Income’ dataset.</p><p> </p><p>More Information on the data included in the ‘Households Below Average Income’ dataset can be found here: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/households-below-average-income-for-financial-years-ending-1995-to-2023/households-below-average-income-series-quality-and-methodology-information-report-fye-2023#income-definition" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/households-below-average-income-for-financial-years-ending-1995-to-2023/households-below-average-income-series-quality-and-methodology-information-report-fye-2023#income-definition</a>.</p><p> </p><p>Guidance on how to use Stat-Xplore can be found here: <a href="https://stat-xplore.dwp.gov.uk/webapi/online-help/index.html" target="_blank">https://stat-xplore.dwp.gov.uk/webapi/online-help/index.html</a>.</p><p> </p><p>An account is not required to use Stat- Xplore, the ‘Guest Login’ feature gives instant access to the main functions.</p><p></p><p>Recognising the wide-ranging causes of pensioner poverty, we will explore how we can use all the available levers we have across government, external partners and local authorities. This includes boosting the uptake of Pension Credit to ensure that the poorest pensioners get the support they need.</p><p> </p><p>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 a range of other benefits – depending on circumstances, these could be worth hundreds of pounds that could really help them.</p><p> </p><p><strong> </strong></p><p><strong> </strong></p> answering member constituency Wycombe answering member printed Emma Reynolds question first answered 18/09/2024 16:30:59 answering member 4077 label Biography information for Emma Reynolds
	tabling member	5156