Cold Weather Payments

HC Deb 26 November 1997 vol 301 cc571-2W

Mr. Corbyn

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is the administrative cost of the disbursement of cold weather payments as a proportion of their value. [17361]

Mr. Denham

The administration of cold weather payments is a matter for Mr. Peter Mathison, the Chief Executive of the Benefits Agency. He will write to the hon. Member.

Letter from Peter Mathison to Mr. Jeremy Corbyn, dated 25 November 1997: The Secretary of State for Social Security has asked me to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question about the administrative cost of the disbursement of cold weather payments as a proportion of their value. During the cold weather season for 1996/97 4,964,966 cold weather payments were made at a total programme cost of £42,202,211 and an administrative cost of £7,512,414. The administrative cost per cold weather payment was £1.51 which equates to 17.8% of the actual value of each payment. I hope this reply is helpful.