Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what are the qualifying criteria for "most vulnerable households" in the provision of heating oil support.

Local authorities have flexibility to determine eligibility for heating‑oil support under the Crisis and Resilience Fund, applying their own discretion to identify the most vulnerable households facing immediate financial difficulties as a result of rising heating‑oil prices.

Local authorities can use a combination of application‑based routes, referrals and their professional judgement to identify individuals in need. National datasets, such as census data, can help local authorities understand where reliance on heating oil is more prevalent and inform local targeting.