Winter Fuel Payment

In the House of Commons, several Conservative MPs, including Ben Obese-Jecty, Wendy Morton, and Gregory Stafford, asked the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, Liz Kendall, about her estimate of the number of pensioners in poverty who will not be entitled to the winter fuel payment in winter 2024-25. In her response, Liz Kendall acknowledged that an estimated 880,000 of the poorest pensioners are not claiming the pension credit they are entitled to, and therefore do not receive the winter fuel payment or pension credit of up to £3,900 a year. She stated that the government has launched the biggest ever drive to increase pension credit uptake and ensure that the poorest pensioners get the support they deserve. Ben Obese-Jecty followed up, expressing concern that some of the poorest pensioners will now be forced to find out how difficult it is to keep warm, given the government's own analysis that only 100,000 of the 880,000 pensioners eligible for pension credit are expected to apply for it. He asked how much more it would cost if all those eligible did apply, compared to the initial saving from removing the winter fuel payment. Liz Kendall responded by stating that the previous government had failed to take action to address the issue of low pension credit uptake, and urged the MP to work with his local council to increase pension credit uptake and ensure that all the help for pensioners, including on winter fuel, is made available. Wendy Morton expressed deep concern about the pensioners in her constituency who will not be entitled to the winter fuel payment this winter, given that only 14% of pensioners in absolute poverty receive pension credit. She asked how the Minister can justify the government's claim that they are focusing support on those in the greatest need. Liz Kendall reiterated that the reason so many of the poorest pensioners are missing out is that the previous government failed to increase pension credit uptake, and urged the MP to work with her local council to ensure that the poorest in her constituency get the money they are entitled to. Gregory Stafford shared the case of a constituent, Rita, who is looking after her husband with multiple sclerosis and will not be eligible for pension credit and therefore the winter fuel payment. He asked what the Secretary of State would say to people in his constituency who are in similar situations. Liz Kendall responded by stating that the government is in this situation because the previous government left a £22 billion black hole in the public finances, and urged the MP to work with his local councils to ensure that all pensioners get the money they are entitled to. Debbie Abrahams, the Chair of the Work and Pensions Committee, welcomed the work being done to increase pension credit uptake, but expressed concerns about those just above the threshold who will remain in poverty. She asked if the Secretary of State would be undertaking any other mitigations to ensure that those pensioners living in poverty, particularly disabled pensioners, will not fall foul of this. Liz Kendall acknowledged the importance of the issue and stated that, alongside the work to increase pension credit uptake, the household support fund is available for those just above the pension credit level, and the warm home discount is also available to those on low incomes with high housing costs. Rachael Maskell raised the concern that around 780,000 people will not sign up for pension credit in time, and that there are 1 million people in fuel poverty above that mark. She asked if the Secretary of State would look at the work done by Energy Systems Catapult and NHS Gloucestershire on social prescribing to ensure that people can receive energy payments in that way. Liz Kendall agreed with the importance of the issue and stated that the government is writing to pensioners on housing benefit for the first time ever, and is determined to bring forward the merger of housing benefit and pension credit, which the previous government had delayed for years. She also emphasized the need to work with frontline NHS staff to ensure that the poorest who may be stuck at home with chronic conditions also know what they are entitled to. Alistair Strathern welcomed the Secretary of State's zeal for addressing the issue of low pension credit uptake, and asked how members from across the House can work with her Department to ensure that there are no unnecessary barriers for those who are eligible and in need of pension credit to claiming it this winter. Liz Kendall urged all members to work with their local councils to ensure that those on housing benefit and other pensioners know what they are entitled to, and to make sure that their councils know that the household support fund is available to those pensioners just above the pension credit level. Finally, Mel Stride, the shadow Secretary of State, raised concerns about the Labour party's 2017 analysis suggesting that around 4,000 pensioners would die prematurely if the winter fuel allowance was means-tested, and asked if the Secretary of State stands by that figure. Liz Kendall responded by stating that in 2017, the Conservative party's manifesto had also promised to means-test winter fuel payments, and that until Conservative members apologize for the 200,000 extra pensioners in poverty over the past 14 years and the £22 billion black hole in the public finances, they will remain on the Opposition Benches.