Pensions: Automatic enrolment – current issues
The paper discusses pensions auto-enrolment, its introduction and roll-out, the impact it has had, and the potential for future reform.

Cold Weather Payments are made from the Social Fund to certain recipients of Income Support, income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance, income-related Employment and Support Allowance, Universal Credit or Pension Credit during periods of very cold weather.
Cold Weather Payments for winter 2013/2014 (442 KB , PDF)
Cold Weather Payments are made from the Social Fund to certain recipients of Income Support, income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance, income-related Employment and Support Allowance, Universal Credit or Pension Credit during periods of very cold weather. To “trigger” the payments, the average temperature at a specified weather station must be recorded as, or forecast to be, 0°C or below for seven consecutive days. The scheme runs from 1 November to 31 March each year.
The payment is a fixed amount for each week of cold weather. For many years this was set at £8.50 a week but the Labour Government increased the rate to £25 a week as a temporary measure for winters 2008/2009 and 2009/2010. The current Government has made the £25 rate permanent. For Winter 2012/2013, 5.8 million individual payments were made worth a total of £146 million.
Payments are made automatically to those entitled to them. There should be no need to make a claim, but people who think they may be entitled but do not receive a payment should contact the Department for Work and Pensions.
Cold Weather Payments for winter 2013/2014 (442 KB , PDF)
The paper discusses pensions auto-enrolment, its introduction and roll-out, the impact it has had, and the potential for future reform.
A Westminster Hall debate on provision of broadband for rural communities has been scheduled for 2.30pm on 13 December. The debate will be opened by Chris Loder MP.
This briefing discusses changes to the lifetime and annual allowances - which limit tax relief on pension savings.