To ask His Majesty's Government what further support they will provide to pensioners this winter given the increase in the rate of inflation.
Answered on
27 October 2022
This winter over 8 million pensioner households across the UK will receive an increased Winter Fuel Payment of £500/£600 depending on age and this will be paid on top of any other one-off support a pensioner household is entitled to, for example where they are on Pension Credit or receive disability benefits. Eligible households currently receive £200 or £300, so the Winter Fuel payment will represent at least double the support for this winter.
6 million eligible disabled people received a one-off Disability Cost of Living Payment of £150 in September. Pensioners in receipt of an eligible disability benefit will have received this Disability Cost of Living Payment.
Government support for the cost of living now totals over £37 billion this year. This includes a £650 cost of living payment (paid in two payments of £326 and £324) which has been designed to target support at low-income households on means-tested benefits including Pension Credit.
The Government has announced unprecedented support within its Growth Plan to protect households and businesses from high energy prices. The Energy Price Guarantee and the Energy Bill Relief Scheme are supporting millions of households and businesses with rising energy costs, and the Chancellor made clear they will continue to do so from now until April next year. This applies to all households in Great Britain, with the same level of support made available to households in Northern Ireland.