Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether his Department is taking steps to help support single, female pensioners, who were given inadequate notice of State Pension age changes, including support over the winter months.

The Government decided over 25 years ago that it was going to make the State Pension age the same for men and women. Both the High Court and Court of Appeal have found no fault with the actions of the DWP, under successive governments dating back to 1995, finding we acted entirely lawfully and did not discriminate on any grounds.

This Government is committed to providing a financial safety net for those who need it through the welfare system, including when they near or reach retirement. In addition, we supported people with the cost of living through £37 billion of support in 2022-23. We are acting to ensure support continues. To ensure stability and certainty for households, in the Autumn Statement the Government has announced £26bn in cost of living support for 2023/24. This includes Cost of Living Payments for the most vulnerable households, an additional £1 billion to help with the cost of household essentials next year and the amended Energy Price Guarantee which will save the average UK household £500 in 2023-24.

Pensioners who are entitled to a Winter Fuel Payment for winter 2022 to 2023, will get an extra payment of £300 per household paid with their normal payment from November 2022 meaning this winter over 8 million pensioner households across the UK will receive an increased Winter Fuel Payment. Households with someone of State Pension age will receive £500 and households with someone aged 80 or over will receive £600.

This increased Winter Fuel Payment 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 eligible disability benefits.