To ask the Minister for Communities to detail any assessment that has been made of the economic and social impacts of cuts to the Winter Fuel Payment on vulnerable groups in Northern Ireland, particularly in rural areas where access to affordable heating options is limited.

An Equality Impact Assessment public consultation on the cuts to the Winter Fuel Payments scheme by the Labour government in winter 2024/25 was launched by the department on 9 December 2024 and runs for 12 weeks until 2nd March 2025.

That consultation seeks the public views on the proposed preliminary recommendations with regards to measures to mitigate the adverse impacts of the policy changes. The department will respond to the public consultation after an analysis of the responses received.