Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he has considered the potential merits of making the Cost of Living Payment available to households that are receiving state pension but are not eligible for pension credit.

The Cost of Living Payment is deliberately targeted at low-income households in receipt of a qualifying means tested benefit. For people above State Pension age, this is those in receipt of Pension Credit. Non-means tested benefits, such as the State Pension are not eligible benefits for the Cost of Living Payment in their own right because people receiving these benefits may have other financial resources available to them. Pension Credit claimants are eligible for the Cost of Living Payment if they are entitled to Pension Credit at the time of the qualifying period, even if entitlement was determined after this. We urge pensioners to check their eligibility for Pension Credit, using the GOV.UK online calculator or by calling the freephone claim line.

The qualifying period for the second £324 Cost of Living Payment is 26 August to the 25 September 2022. Pension Credit can be backdated for up to 3 months from the date of claim, for those who are eligible, so it is not too late to make a claim and qualify for the second Cost of Living Payment. The last date for making a successful backdated application to qualify for the second Cost of Living payment is 18 December.

For pensioners not eligible for the Cost of Living Payment, or for those that need more support, government is providing a range of help. Pensioners who are entitled to a Winter Fuel Payment for winter 2022 to 2023 will get an extra £300 for their household paid with their normal payment from November. That means over 8 million pensioner households across the UK will receive an increased Winter Fuel Payment of £500/£600 this winter, depending on age, and this will be paid on top of any other one-off support a pensioner household is entitled to.

Pensioners are also being supported through the Energy Price Guarantee and the Energy Bills Support scheme, and government is providing an additional £500 million to help households with the cost of essentials through the Household Support Fund, bringing the total funding for this support to £1.5 billion.