Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether (a) a single pensioner aged 90 on £218.16 per week and (b) a pensioner couple aged 90 on £332.96 per week who (i) own their own home, (ii) have no savings and (iii) are in receipt of no other benefits will continue to receive winter fuel payments.

A single pensioner aged 90 with a weekly income of £218.16 which doesn’t fall to be disregarded, for example, it’s made up of state pension or a personal pension, would not be entitled to the Guarantee Credit element of Pension Credit because their non-disregardable income is in excess of the standard minimum guarantee for a single person. However, they would be entitled to the Savings Credit element of Pension Credit and would therefore receive the Winter Fuel Payment.

A pensioner couple both aged 90 with a combined weekly income of £332.96 which, again doesn’t fall to be disregarded would not be entitled to the Guarantee Credit element of Pension Credit because their non-disregardable income is in excess of the standard minimum guarantee for a couple. They would, however, be entitled to the Savings Credit element of Pension Credit and would therefore receive the Winter Fuel Payment.

The Pension Credit calculator on gov.uk provides an estimate as to what Pension Credit, a person may have entitlement to.