Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many pensioners in Wiltshire will receive the Winter Fuel Payment under the new income threshold.

Winter Fuel Payments are £200 for a household with someone of State Pension age and £300 for a household with someone aged 80 or over. They will be paid automatically to anyone who has not opted out. Individuals with a taxable income above £35,000 a year Winter Fuel Payments will be recouped via HMRC.

This means that the majority of pensioners in England and Wales – over three quarters, or around 9 million individuals – will now benefit from Winter Fuel Payments, making it better targeted than the previous near-universal payment.