Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps her Department plans to take to help ensure prompt payment of the Winter Fuel Payment for pensioners in Wiltshire.

The vast majority of pensioners in England and Wales – around 9 million individuals - will now benefit from Winter Fuel Payments. No pensioner will need to take any action now as they will automatically receive the payment this winter, and for those with incomes above the threshold it will be automatically recovered via HMRC. Pensioners who want to opt out and not receive the payment at all, will be able to do so.

Announcing the increase in eligibility before the Summer recess and by paying all pensioners—except those who opt out—we are able to rely on established processes that can ensure prompt payments of Winter Fuel Payments for the coming winter.