To ask the Minister for Communities whether her Department is reviewing the allocations made through the cold weather payment to take account of the rising cost of home heating.

The Cold Weather Payment is triggered by a prolonged period of severe weather, i.e. average temperature of 0oC or below over seven consecutive days.

The Department for Work and Pensions has confirmed that there are no plans to change the payment or eligibility criteria for the Cold Weather Payment scheme.

However, I have asked officials to consider if there are any actions that my Department can take to help mitigate against the impact of rising fuel costs.