Winter Fuel Payment: Fraud
The question
To ask the Solicitor General, what steps her Department is taking to ensure the effective prosecution of the perpetrators of winter fuel payment scams targeting pensioners.
Answered by Ellie Reeves
The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) recognises the serious harm caused by such scams targeting vulnerable and older people, including those exploiting winter fuel payments. The CPS will prosecute any such cases referred that meet their legal test.
The CPS’ approach to tackling fraud and protecting vulnerable victims is set out in the CPS Economic Crime Strategy 2025 Final Progress Report which was published in May 2025. The CPS continues to engage with Age UK and other civil society partners on a broad range of economic crime issues to understand victims’ concerns and improve support.
Although the CPS cannot disaggregate its Fraud and Forgery Principal Offence Category Data to identify the number of prosecutions specifically related to winter fuel payment scams, since 2021, the CPS has maintained strong performance in fraud prosecutions, securing conviction rates of over 85%.
Over the last five years, more than £458 million has been recovered through CPS-obtained confiscation orders, with £95 million returned to victims by way of compensation.
Verbatim has judged this answer against the question that was actually asked — answered, partly answered, or evaded. Sign in to see the verdict →