Written questions by Duncan-Jordan.

If she will review the planned increase in the state pension age to 68.

Under Section 27 of the Pensions Act 2014, the Secretary of State has a statutory duty to periodically review whether the existing rules about State Pension age are appropriate.To date, there have been two statutory Government reviews, one in 2017 and one in 2023.The next review must be completed by March 2029.

What assessment she has made of the potential merits of maintaining the state pension age at 67.

State Pension age will rise to 67 between 2026 and 2028, as set out in section 26 of the Pensions Act 2014. Under Section 27 of the Pensions Act 2014, the Secretary of State has a statutory duty to periodically review whether the existing rules about State Pension age are appropriate. To date, there have been two reviews of State Pension age, one in 2017 and one in 2023 and both confirmed that the timetable for the rise to 67 remained appropriate. The 2017 review can be found at: State Pension age review 2017: final report - GOV.UK. The 2023 review can be found at: State Pension age Review 2023 - GOV.UK The next review of State Pension age must be completed by March 2029.

If she will make an assessment of the potential merits of assessing entitlement to benefits on individual income.

The Department provides support for different needs across a range of benefits. Each of these benefits has its own assessment criteria and entitlements dependent on the claimant’s circumstances. The Secretary of State continues to monitor all support provided by the Department.

Whether her Department plans to review the customer relations services of the Child Maintenance Service.

The Child Maintenance Service (CMS) continually reviews the service it provides to ensure it best meets the needs of its customers. The aim of CMS is to create a modern, accessible service through our digital transformation and Service Modernisation programmes, allowing customers to have greater choice of how and when they contact us. CMS regularly gathers feedback from customers through the Customer Experience Survey to understand their experiences. This insight is then used to inform ways to review and improve our service.

How many workers are included in auto enrolled pensions.

Automatic enrolment has succeeded in transforming pension saving with over 11 million employees having been automatically enrolled into a workplace pension since 2012. These statistics are available from The Pensions Regulator and are updated on a monthly basis in their Automatic enrolment declaration of compliance report.The department’s regular publication of data, including the Workplace Pension Participation and Savings Trends, is available on GOV.UK. This publication includes a wide range of data on pension participation. Overall, 80% (22.3m) of employees in Great Britain are benefiting from participating in a workplace pension as of 2023. Considering only employees eligible for automatic enrolment, 88% (20.7m) of employees are participating.

What the average pension paid for members of auto enrolled schemes is.

The data requested for the average pension paid to members of automatic enrolment schemes is not available. The department publishes the Pensioners’ Income Series. This provides estimates on the level and source of pensioners’ incomes, including income from occupational pensions (this is a wider definition than automatic enrolment schemes). In the 2022/23 financial year, 62% of pensioner benefit units were in receipt of occupational pension income. Of the pensioner benefit units receiving this income, the median amount received was £210 per week and the mean amount received was £314 per week, with 6% of pensioner benefit units receiving £900 or more per week.

Whether her Department has made an assessment of the potential merits of bringing forward legislative proposals on extending the Pensions (Extension of Automatic Enrolment) Act 2023 to (a) include auto-enrolment for employees aged 18 and above, (b) enable pension contributions to to be applied from the first £1 of pay and (c) increase employer contribution rates for auto-enrolment.

Security in retirement is a key priority for this Government. AE has seen over 11.1 million people automatically enrolled into a workplace pension to date and more than 2.4 million employers have complied with their legal duties. This has helped to deliver an additional £43 billion being saved into pensions in 2023 compared to 2012 (in 2023 earnings terms) for eligible individuals. We will consider if and when to make changes to AE, balancing the need for improved pension outcomes with the effects on businesses

How many additional staff recruited to process additional Pension Credit claims have been appointed.

Since the announcement to means test Winter Fuel payments, to date we have increased the resource in Pension Credit claims by approximately 500 staff through a combination of internal redeployments, use of external providers and external recruitment. This is in line with the overall resourcing plan for Pension Credit claims and Winter Fuel payments.

If she will make an assessment of the potential merits of passporting pensioners in receipt of Housing Benefit onto the Winter Fuel Payment for this year, ahead of planned alignment changes.

We will shortly be directly contacting approximately 120,000 pensioners who are in receipt of Housing Benefit and who may be eligible for, but not currently claiming, Pension Credit. We will be inviting these pensioners to claim Pension Credit ahead of 21st December so that they may also be entitled to this year’s Winter Fuel Payment. In the longer term, the Government will bring together the administration of Pension Credit and Housing Benefit, so that pensioner households receiving Housing Benefit also receive any Pension Credit that they are entitled to, which was pushed back by the previous government.

Whether she has made an assessment of the potential impact of the decision to means test the winter fuel payment on the expected number of excess deaths in winter 2024-25.

This Government is committed to pensioners. Everyone in our society, no matter their working history or savings deserves a comfortable and dignified retirement. We will do this through protecting the triple lock, keeping energy bills low through our Warm Homes Plan, and bringing real stability to people’s lives. However, given the substantial pressures faced by the public finances this year and next, the Government has had to make hard choices to bring the public finances back under control. The Government is committed to a preventative approach to public health. Keeping people warm and well at home and improving the quality of new and existing homes will play an essential part in enabling people to live longer, healthier lives and reducing pressures on the NHS. The Household Support Fund (HSF) is also being extended for a further six months, from 1 October 2024 until 31 March 2025. An additional £421 million will be provided to enable the extension of the HSF in England, plus funding for the Devolved Governments through the Barnett formula to be spent at their discretion, as usual. We are supporting consumers, including pensioners, through our Warm Homes Plan which will transform homes across the country by making them cleaner and cheaper to run. The Warm Homes Plan will offer grants and low interest loans to support investment in insulation, low carbon heating and other home improvements to cut bills. Additionally, there are multiple targeted schemes in place to deliver energy efficiency measures to low income and fuel poor households. Schemes include the Energy Company Obligation (ECO), the Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund, the Home Upgrade Grant (HUG) and the Great British Insulation Scheme (GBIS). Pensioners if eligible may also receive the Warm Home Discount which provides a £150 annual rebate off energy bills for eligible low-income households until 2025/26. Guidance to help people stay safe in cold weather has been published by UKHSA. This will help ensure that organisations and staff are prompted to signpost those vulnerable to cold weather to sources of support for keeping their home warm, with cost of living support, including help to manage energy bills, as needed. As well as advice on simple measures to improve home energy efficiency and safety to reduce risks that may increase in cold weather (for example from carbon monoxide exposure). Details of excess winter deaths in England and Wales can be found at: Winter mortality in England and Wales - Office for National Statistics (ons.gov.uk).

What data her Department holds on the average income of single parents who are affected by the two-child benefit cap.

1. About half (52%) of Universal Credit or Child Tax Credit households affected by the policy, or 230,000, are single adult households, and about half (48% or 220,000) are couples, as show in Figure 2 of the latest statistics commentary published here: Universal Credit and Child Tax Credit claimants: statistics related to the policy to provide support for a maximum of two children, April 2024 - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk) 2. In April 2024, 82,000 (40%) of single parents who are affected by the policy were in work. 3. In April 2024, the mean average take home pay of single parents who are affected by the policy and were in work was £1,038 per month.

What data her Department holds on the proportion of single parents affected by the two-child benefit cap who are in paid employment.

1. About half (52%) of Universal Credit or Child Tax Credit households affected by the policy, or 230,000, are single adult households, and about half (48% or 220,000) are couples, as show in Figure 2 of the latest statistics commentary published here: Universal Credit and Child Tax Credit claimants: statistics related to the policy to provide support for a maximum of two children, April 2024 - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk) 2. In April 2024, 82,000 (40%) of single parents who are affected by the policy were in work. 3. In April 2024, the mean average take home pay of single parents who are affected by the policy and were in work was £1,038 per month.

What data her Department holds on the proportion of parents affected by the two-child benefit cap who are single parents.

1. About half (52%) of Universal Credit or Child Tax Credit households affected by the policy, or 230,000, are single adult households, and about half (48% or 220,000) are couples, as show in Figure 2 of the latest statistics commentary published here: Universal Credit and Child Tax Credit claimants: statistics related to the policy to provide support for a maximum of two children, April 2024 - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk) 2. In April 2024, 82,000 (40%) of single parents who are affected by the policy were in work. 3. In April 2024, the mean average take home pay of single parents who are affected by the policy and were in work was £1,038 per month.

What steps her Department is taking to work with (a) disabled people and (b) disabled people's organisations to improve disabled people’s experiences of the benefits system.

I refer the hon. Member to the answers I gave on 14 October to PQs 7651and 6447.

What assessment she has made of the adequacy of Personal Independence Payments at supporting the extra costs of disability.

Personal Independence Payment (PIP) provides a contribution to the extra costs that may arise from a disability or health condition. There is no objective way of deciding what an adequate level of PIP should be, as everyone has different requirements reflecting their own circumstances and priorities. PIP is a non-contributory, non-means-tested, additional cost benefit and can be worth over £9,500 a year, tax free. Individuals can choose how to use the benefit, in the light of their individual needs and preferences. The benefit can also be paid in addition to any other financial or practical support someone may be entitled to such as Universal Credit, Employment and Support Allowance, NHS services, free prescriptions, help with travel costs to appointments or the Blue Badge scheme. The benefits have been consistently uprated in line with inflation since they were introduced and were, like other benefits, increased by 6.7% from 8 April 2024. DWP pays close attention to the evidence base on the extra costs faced by disabled people; including academic research, analysis by Scope, and DWP’s own commissioned research on the Uses of Health and Disability Benefits from 2019. In order to understand more, DWP is now undertaking a new survey of Personal Independence Payment customers to understand more about their disability related needs. This project has an advisory group of experts including representatives of the disability charity Scope and academic experts.

Whether her Department has considered the potential merits of (a) reviewing and (b) reforming the Carer's Allowance.

Unpaid carers play a vital role in supporting elderly or disabled relatives or friends. Sometimes unpaid carers will need to turn to the benefit system for financial support, so it is right that we keep Carer’s Allowance under review, to see if it is meeting its objectives, and giving unpaid carers the help and support they need and deserve.

If she will make an assessment of the potential merits of adding Attendance Allowance to the list of benefits that qualify for the Winter Fuel Payment.

This Government is committed to pensioners. Everyone in our society, no matter their working history or savings deserves a comfortable and dignified retirement. Given the substantial pressures faced by the public finances this year and next, the Government has had to make hard choices to bring the public finances back under control. Winter Fuel Payments will continue to be paid to pensioner households that need it most, that is those receiving Pension Credit or certain other income-related benefits. They will continue to be worth £200 for eligible households, or £300 for eligible households with someone aged over 80. For those with long-term health conditions or disabilities, the “extra costs” disability benefits, including those provided for by the Scottish Government, provide a tax free, non-income-related contribution towards the extra costs people with a long-term health condition can face, such as additional heating costs. They are paid in addition to any other benefits received . For example, Attendance Allowance can be worth around £5,600 a year. Further, receipt of AA can provide a passport to additional amounts in means-tested benefits for those on low incomes providing they meet the other eligibility criteria. Immediate support for pensioners includes our commitment to the Triple Lock, with over 12 million pensioners set to benefit through the course of this parliament, with the full yearly rate of the new State Pensions forecast to increase by around £1700. We will ensure that the poorest pensioners get the support they need. The government will work with external partners and local authorities to boost the uptake of Pension Credit and to target additional support to the poorest pensioners.The Household Support Fund is also being extended for a further six months, from 1 October 2024 until 31 March 2025.   An additional £421 million will be provided to enable the extension of the HSF in England, plus funding for the Devolved Governments through the Barnett formula to be spent at their discretion, as usual.The Warm Home Discount scheme in England and Wales provides eligible low-income households across Great Britain with a £150 rebate on their electricity bill. This winter, we expect over three million households, including over one million pensioners, to benefit under the scheme.

What steps her Department is taking to reform the Work Capability Assessment.

The government is committed to reforming or replacing the Work Capability Assessment, alongside putting in place a proper plan to support disabled people into work. We will say more about this in due course. We will continue to engage with stakeholders to keep the views of disabled people and people with health conditions at the heart of what we do, as we consider our next steps.

Whether pensioners who qualify for pension credit after 22 September 2024 and before 31 December 2024 are entitled to receive the winter fuel payment during winter 2024-25.

A claim for Pension Credit may be backdated for up to three months as long as the entitlement conditions are met during that period. This means that a pensioner who was eligible for, but had not claimed, Pension Credit during the qualifying week for the Winter Fuel Payment for winter 2024-25 (16 to 22 September 2024) can still qualify for the payment if they make a successful backdated application for Pension Credit by 21 December 2024.

For the number of pensioners with an annual income of between £15,000 and £20,000.

We estimate that the number of pensioner units with an annual income of between £15,000 and £20,000 is approximately 1.5 million. This number has been rounded to the nearest 100,000. This estimate is based on Pensioners’ Incomes data derived from the Family Resources Survey and covers private households in the United Kingdom. A pensioner unit can be a single pensioner over State Pension age, a pensioner couple where one member is over State Pension age, or a pensioner couple where both members are over State Pension age.