To ask the Minister for Communities to detail (i) why the decision to implement cuts to the Winter Fuel Payment was made prior to the publication of the draft Equality Impact Assessment; and (ii) how this aligns with the Department’s statutory equality obligations under Section 75 of the Northern Ireland Act 1998.

The decision was made to implement the changes to the Winter Fuel Payment scheme before the draft EQIA to ensure that eligible pensioners in Northern Ireland would receive their payment before the end of 2024.

The department’s Equality Scheme provides that in exceptional circumstances, where a policy must be implemented immediately, consultation may be undertaken after the implementation of the policy. This is in line with guidance from the Equality Commission for Northern Ireland.