Member

Some noble Lords have noted the wider context of the winter energy price cap and the cost of living going up. Let me turn to what the Government are doing in this respect. First, I want to be clear about what is happening with pension credit. Some 1.4 million of the poorest pensioner households are already receiving pension credit. It is worth up to £3,900 a year, and they will still get the winter fuel payment on top. There are, however, many others out there who do not claim it, as noble Lords have said. We urge them to claim this support. They can do it in various ways—please spread the word. People can claim it online. Some three quarters of that 1.4 million do so, and the great advantage is that, rather than filling in a huge form, they might have to answer only 35 questions, because online you skip the questions that do not apply to you.