Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what guidance has his department given to local authorities on making payments to households with Fuel Oil costs through the Crisis Resilience Fund.

Support for vulnerable households affected by rising oil-heating costs will be treated as Crisis Payments under the Crisis and Resilience Fund. In line with scheme guidance published on 13 January 2026, local authorities have flexibility to determine eligibility for these payments. Local authorities have been reminded of this through departmental communications and supplementary materials have been issued to local authorities to provide further support. The Department is also engaging directly with local authorities receiving the additional oil-heating funding through a dedicated call to clarify delivery expectations, reporting requirements, and approaches to providing assistance and we will review future engagement in line with local authority capacity and needs.