Government Response

The Government responded to this petition on Tuesday 26th November 2024

The Government has no plans to reverse the means testing of the Winter Fuel Payment but is focusing on increasing Pension Credit take-up to ensure all eligible pensioners continue to receive support.

Given the substantial fiscal pressures this year and next, the Government has had to make difficult decisions to bring the public finances under control. This includes the decision to means-test the Winter Fuel Payment, so it is better targeted to low-income pensioners who need it.

To ensure Winter Fuel Payments are received by those on the lowest incomes the Government is determined to do everything it can to maximise take-up of Pension Credit which provides a safety net for pensioners on the lowest incomes and opens the door to other benefits including the Winter Fuel Payment.

The Government has recently written to around 12 million pensioners regarding the change to eligibility for the Winter Fuel Payment – to inform recipients of the qualifying benefits and encourage pensioners to check if they may be eligible for Pension Credit and how to make a claim. The Government has also directly contacted approximately 120,000 pensioners who are in receipt of Housing Benefit and who may be eligible for, but not currently claiming, Pension Credit. We are inviting these pensioners to claim Pension Credit ahead of 21st December so that, thanks to the Pension Credit backdating rules, they may also be entitled to this year’s Winter Fuel Payment.

Not only will those who are eligible retain Winter Fuel Payment entitlement, they will receive an additional £3,900 a year on average through their new Pension Credit award, which provides a passport to other help such as assistance with housing costs, energy bills and a free TV licence for those over 75.

The Chancellor’s Autumn Budget confirmed the Government’s commitment to the Triple Lock. Subject to Parliamentary approval, over 12 million pensioners will see their basic or new State Pension increase by 4.1% from 7 April 2025, worth up to £470 a year. Over the course of this parliament, the full yearly rate of the new State Pension is forecast to increase by around £1,900 whilst the full yearly amount of the basic State Pension is forecast to increase by around £1,500.

The Government also offers other support to pensioners in the winter months. In addition to Winter Fuel Payments, those in receipt of Pension Credit are also eligible for Cold Weather Payments, in England and Wales. A weekly payment of £25 is made for every seven-day period when the average temperature has been recorded as, or is forecast to be, zero degrees centigrade or below over seven consecutive days at the weather station linked to an eligible person’s postcode.

The Warm Home Discount scheme provides eligible low-income households across Great Britain with a £150 rebate on their electricity bill. This winter, over three million households, including over one million pensioners, are expected to benefit under the scheme.

The Household Support Fund has also been extended for a further six months, from 1 October 2024 until 31 March 2025. An additional £421 million will be provided to enable this extension in England, plus funding for the devolved governments. At the Autumn Budget 2024, the Chancellor also announced that £1 billion will be invested to extend the Household Support Fund by a full year until 31 March 2026, on top of the six months already announced, and to maintain Discretionary Housing Payments. Local authorities will use this fund to help struggling households facing the greatest financial hardship, as the fund is intended to support those most in need with the cost of essentials, such as food, energy and water. The scheme covers a wide range of low-income households in need, including households with children of all ages, pensioners, unpaid carers, care leavers and disabled people, larger households, single-person households, and those struggling with one-off financial shocks or unforeseen events.

The Government has secured a support package with leading energy suppliers worth £500 million, which will provide a range of tailored support to customers. This could include credit on bills, enhanced debt write-off schemes and hardship funds, reducing or waiving the standing charges over winter for certain customers, access to energy-saving devices, and enhanced funding to charity partners to target hard to reach customers.

This Government is working to radically reform the NHS through the 10-year Health plan and build a health service that is fit for the future all year round. The Government is committed to a preventative approach to public health. In addition, 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. The difficult decisions we have made, such as targeting the Winter Fuel Payment, mean the Government is able to provide additional investment in the NHS, which benefits everyone including all pensioners who rely on these services. Eligible pensioners will also continue to benefit from free eye tests, NHS prescriptions and bus passes.

Department for Work and Pensions