Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, with reference to the cold weather alert issued by UK Health Security Agency on 5 December 2022, whether his Department plans to provide advice to employers on maintaining workplace temperatures (a) in winter 2022-23 and (b) during cold weather alerts.

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) publish guidance on its website for employers on maintaining a reasonable workplace temperature during cold weather. The guidance includes specific measures that can be taken by both employers and workers and includes a workplace temperature checklist.

HSE regularly reviews its guidance and the latest refreshed guidance went live on 1 December 2022. HSE’s home webpage was updated on 6 December 2022 to cover working in cold weather, coinciding with the UK Health Security Agency and Met Office cold weather alert.

HSE also publishes posts across all its social media channels and on 7 December 2022 this included advice on how people can help and protect workers from the effects of cold temperatures.