Has the Welsh Government considered introducing a Welsh winter fuel allowance to replace the payments lost by Welsh pensioners and if so, what is the estimated costing of such an annual payment for affected pensioners?
Answered by Cabinet Secretary for Social Justice, Trefnydd and Chief Whip
| Answered on 04/03/2025
The Winter Fuel Payment is devolved to Northern Ireland, and will be to Scotland from 2025, but is not devolved to Wales. So, we are not able to legislate for an equivalent Welsh Winter Fuel Payment scheme. We do help pensioners with, for example, providing fuel voucher and discretionary assistance schemes to help people in crisis with fuel costs, and our Warm Homes Programme is delivering measures to improve energy efficiency and reduce energy bills for the long term.