Heating Allowance (Hansard, 27 January 1976)

§ 2. Mr. Hooley
asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many persons drawing supplementary benefit are currently also drawing the extra heating addition (at any of the three rates).

§ The Under-Secretary of State for Social Services (Mr. Michael Meacher)
As at May 1975—the latest date for which information is available—792,000.

§ Mr. Hooley
I am obliged to my hon. Friend for that information. Does he agree that it is time that we got rid of this nonsense of three distinct rates separated by a few pence for this particular form of benefit? Does he also agree that, in view of the immense increases in the prices of gas and electricity, elderly people of retirement age should automatically draw this heating allowance if they are in receipt of supplementary benefit?

§ Mr. Meacher
The purpose of having three different levels is to take account of differences in health, the type of accommodation and the ease with which that accommodation can be heated. My hon. Friend can be assured that no fewer than 41 per cent. of all supplementary pensioners are in receipt of extra heating additions. Also, to take account of the increase in fuel prices, since the last Conservative increase in Octobr 1973 the pensioner index has risen 50 per cent., the fuel component 65 per cent., and the pension 70 per cent.

§ Mrs. Bain
Has the Minister given any consideration to the system operating in other countries, such as the Scandinavian countries and Canada, whereby heating costs are included in the rent of a property? Does he not agree that, as more people seem to be aware of rent and rate rebates, this might be a way of catching those who are unaware of the heating allowance? I find that many pensioners in my constituency are unaware of the heating allowances available to them,

§ Mr. Meacher
The Supplementary Benefits Commission makes every attempt to increase the number of claims from pensioners who might be entitled to extra heating additions and to ensure that those 223 entitled receive them. During the past two or three years the number entitled to extra heating additions has substantially increased. Of the 792,000 who receive such help no fewer than 701,000 are pensioners.

§ Mr. Bowden
Does the hon. Gentleman accept that many branches of Age Concern—the chairman of the Brighton branch has written to the Secretary of State—are anxious about the levels of heating allowances? Does he accept that in Brighton and many other parts of the country some pensioners have to choose between having adequate temperatures in their homes and having sufficient food? Will he please do his utmost to raise these levels as quickly as possible?

§ Mr. Meacher
In November last year the Government raised extra heating additions by three-eighths. Since we have been in office these additions have been increased by 83 per cent.—more than the pension increase of 70 per cent. which was itself substantially above the rise in prices.

§ Mr. Mike Thomas
Does not my hon. Friend feel any sense of injustice that his Department is expected to bear the brunt, on the one hand, of unfair tariff structures in the electricity and gas industries and, on the other, of the dubious behaviour of the electricity boards in the late 1960s in persuading local councils not to fit all-electric flats with a gas supply?

§ Mr. Meacher
This matter, to which my hon. Friend is right to refer, has caused considerable concern. On behalf of the electricity and gas supply industries, which are the responsibility of another Department, I would say that there are statutes that prevent their giving preferential tariffs to particular groups of clients. Nevertheless, this remains an important problem, particularly as it affects disconnections. I assure my hon. Friend that we are very much aware of it.

§ Mrs. Chalker
Will the hon. Gentleman do something about the lack of take-up among many pensioners? We were due to have a new leaflet in November. Many local offices still do not have it and many pensioners do not know what they may have. Will he also expand the 224 leaflet to explain that they may have prepayment meters if they apply, for many pensioners still do not understand this matter?

§ Mr. Meacher
A copy of the leaflet to which the hon. Lady has referred—OC2, "Help with Heating Costs"—is available in the Library. It sets out the criteria for awarding extra heating additions. The revised print, which is already available, will be circulated within the next few days.