Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, if he will make an estimate of the number of people on Universal Credit who are no longer eligible for the Warm Homes Discount following the changes to eligibility in 2022.
As households on Universal Credit previously applied through their suppliers, who set their own application processes and eligibility criteria and selected successful applicants each year, the Government has not been able to assess how many households are no longer eligible.
In England and Wales, over 770,000 households in receipt of Universal Credit were identified as eligible to receive a rebate automatically. Additionally, the Government has contacted potentially eligible households that could not be provided with the rebate automatically. They may become eligible if they contact the Warm Home Discount helpline.