Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, for what reason cold weather payments are given to people receiving income related employment and support allowance but not contributions-based employment and support allowance; and if she will review her Departments's policy.

Cold Weather Payments are made to people who receive certain income-related benefits and satisfy the eligibility conditions. People who receive contribution-based benefits are not eligible for Cold Weather Payments. This is because the scheme was specifically designed to target the additional heating costs of the most vulnerable people in society. The scheme is subject to financial constraints and to ensure that limited public funds are used in the most effective way possible, the Government believes that the fairest way of managing this is by linking eligibility to income-related benefits.

To put this into context, during the 2010/11 Cold Weather Payment season over £435 million was paid to eligible claimants. If the scheme were to be extended to all contributory benefit recipients, the scheme would become unaffordable.