§ Mr. Tom ClarkeTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will raise the threshold of capital assets at which disqualification for cold weather payments operate; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Newton[holding answer 18 December 1989]: Following the uprating statement I made on 25 October, I am pleased to announce that today I have laid regulations which amend the Social Fund Cold Weather Payments (General) Regulations, so that from 1 January 1990 elderly people who are receiving income support may be able to qualify for cold weather payments whilst retaining up to £1,000 in savings. The increase in the amount of capital that people aged 60 and over may have before it affects entitlement to cold weather payments will enable more elderly people to obtain help with the extra cost of heating their homes at times of very cold weather.
The regulations also correct defects in the regulations concerning the treatment of the capital of a claimant's partner and the description of the areas covered by the national climatological message stations.