Older People: Cost of Living

(asked on 23rd September 2022) - View Source

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what plans she has to provide additional support to older people who cannot meeet the cost of (a) energy bills, (b) food costs, and (c) other living costs.


Answered by
Victoria Prentis Portrait
Victoria Prentis
Attorney General
This question was answered on 17th October 2022

The government understands the pressures people are facing with the cost of living and has taken further decisive action to support people with their energy bills.

The £37bn of support includes up to £650 in Cost-of-Living Payments (paid in 2 lump sums of £326 and £324) which has been designed to target support at around 8 million low-income households on means-tested benefits, including people who are out of work and receiving Universal Credit and older people receiving Pension Credit. In addition, more than 8 million pensioner households will receive a one-off payment of £300 through the Winter Fuel Payment from November, and 6 million eligible disabled people will receive a one-off Disability Cost of Living Payment of £150 from 20 September.

Also included in the cost-of-living support is the current Household Support Fund in England, which is already providing £421m of support for the period April-September 2022. For the same period, the devolved administrations received £79 million through the Barnett formula. For the period October 2022-March 2023, we are providing an additional £421 million through the Household Support Fund to help households in England with the cost of essentials, and the devolved administrations will receive £79 million through the Barnett formula.

Ongoing financial support for help with the cost of living is provided to people over State Pension age through State Pensions, Pension Credit and Housing Benefit, and to people below State Pension age through Universal Credit, Jobseeker’s Allowance and Employment and Support Allowance. In some cases, and especially in the case of Pension Credit, these entitlements may also give access to other support such as help with Council Tax, NHS costs, discounts on energy bills, and free TV licences for those aged 75 or over.

People with a long-term health condition or disability may be entitled to one of the following non-means tested benefits to help them meet the additional costs that arise from disability: Attendance Allowance; Disability Living Allowance; or Personal Independence Payment. These benefits can be paid in addition to any other social security benefits and may qualify people for additional amounts or premiums as part of these benefits.

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