HC Deb 26 October 1982 vol 29 cc881-2
10. Mr. Strang

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many people on supplementary benefit were given an extra fuel allowance for the winter of 1981–82.

Mr. Newton

In December 1981 some 2.3 million supplementary benefit claimants were receiving extra weekly payments for heating costs. In addition, last winter some 300,000 lump sum payments were made to help claimants with their increased fuel bills due to the exceptionally severe weather.

Mr. Strang

Will the Minister confirm that, on the basis of the Government's own figures, hundreds of millions of pounds of benefit will not be taken up this year? Does he agree that the Oxford police raid confirmed that the Government are devoting more public resources to saving a few million pounds than to helping children and old people who will suffer from the cold this year because of the non-take-up of benefits?

Mr. Newton

With all due respect to the hon. Gentleman, that is rubbish from beginning to end. From this November the Government will be spending about £300 million a year on helping people, especially those with the more difficult families—the under-fives, the over-seventies and the severely disabled—with regular weekly payments towards their fuel costs. That should be compared with expenditure of not much more than £100 million when the Government came to office. That is a significant strengthening of the benefit system. I welcome it.

Mr. Bowden

I accept what my hon. Friend says about the help that is being given through heating allowances. Nevertheless, does he agree that the present circumstance needs completely new thinking to help with a comprehensive fuel policy for those receiving supplementary pension and supplementary benefit? Does he agree that the system is in a mess? Will he set up a working party with the Department of Energy to examine the problem?

Mr. Newton

I shall not promise a working party. [HON. MEMBERS: "Have a review".] It seems that Opposition Members would like a review. We are anxious to do what we can to improve further the already considerable help that we give towards heating costs. My hon. Friend will know that I have been in close touch with my right hon. and hon. Friends in the Department of Energy all summer. I am glad that they were recently able to make some announcements about helping with standing charges when people have small bills. I hope that my hon. Friend will welcome that.

Mr. Ashley

Is it rubbish to say that under present regulations for fuel costs help, many needy families are left without help? If it is not, when does the Minister propose to introduce a national fuel scheme that is based on the difficulty experienced by some people in paying fuel bills?

Mr. Newton

I hope that I made it clear in my original reply that we have already dramatically improved the quantity of help with heating costs. We shall continue to search for improvements. We must also find the money to be able to do that.

Mr. Hill

Does my hon. Friend agree that there should be better public relations on the matter? Does he agree that many elderly people are not aware of what they are entitled to and that they are worried about the limit on savings that they may have before they can claim? Does he also agree that standing charges are an important concern? Does he further agree that the Department should make it clear to old-age pensioners that they will be the main beneficiaries of such a scheme?

Mr. Newton

Substantial additions, ranging as high as £250 a year, go automatically to families on supplementary benefit with under-fives and over-seventies. The higher addition of £250 goes to the severely disabled. I agree that we could improve on last winter's publicity with regard to single payments. We are endeavouring to do that, should the same problem arise this winter.

Mr. John

Will the Minister confirm that only 6 per cent. of all supplementary beneficiaries who were entitled to extra fuel allowance took it up? Will he comment further upon the crazy delay in his Department, which allowed the Government to protect wildfowl from the cold weather before helping supplementary beneficiaries?

Mr. Newton

With regard to the hon. Gentleman's second point, I agree that there were difficulties in the operation of single payments for fuel bills last winter. It was the first time that the regulation had been used and it was the first time since the winter of 1962 that there had been such a problem. We are attempting to learn from last winter's experience, in case a similar problem arises this winter. I hope that it does not.