Winter Fuel Payments (Hansard, 24 April 1998)

§ Mr. Denham

The advertising campaign for Winter Fuel Payments was approved by Ministers in the normal way. We were determined that pensioners should not be fearful of turning up their heating if a cold spell occurred. We also considered it important that pensioners knew as quickly as possible how much they would receive, as well as how and when it would be paid.

We explored the simplest and most cost-effective ways to let them know that a payment would be made. A publicity strategy was developed, which took account of views expressed by three of the pensioner welfare organisations, on the most effective ways to get the necessary information to as many of the eligible pensioners as possible. We found that a multi-media package, costing an estimated £1.7 million, was likely to reach and inform around 80 per cent. of the ten million eligible pensioners. In approving the package, I considered the cost reasonable, given that this was an unprecedented exercise providing help to over seven million pensioner households, at a total cost of £400 million over two years.

Following the announcement of the detail of the scheme in January, a campaign was swiftly launched in conjunction with Help the Aged, Age Concern and the National Association of Citizen's Advice Bureaux. It included advertisements in the press and on television, leaflets, posters and a dedicated telephone Helpline.

All work test—total
Quarter		31 December 1996	31 March 1997	30 June 1997	30 September 1997
1. Total	Number	13,958	13,307	17,382	16,950
In appellants favour	Number	6,459	6,003	7,543	6,641
	Per cent.	46.27	45.11	43.40	39.18
2. Total	Number	4,885	4,513	5,467	4,734
In appellants favour	Number	2,499	2,297	2,844	2,419
	Per cent.	51.16	50.90	52.02	51.10
3. Total	Number	244	229	302	279
In appellants favour	Number	125	121	145	111
	Per cent.	51.23	52.84	48.01	39.78
4. Total	Number	5,181	4,937	5,863	4,875
In appellants favour	Number	3,502	3,247	3,934	3,346
	Per cent.	67.59	65.77	67.10	68.64
5. Total	Number	3,648	3,628	5,750	7,062
In appellants favour	Number	333	338	620	765
	Per cent.	9.13	9.32	10.78	10.83

Notes:

1. Total appeals heard.
2. Appellant only attended.
3. Representative only attended.
4. Both attended.
5. Not attended.

Source:

The quarterly Social Security Appeal Tribunal statistics published by DSS Analytical Services Division.

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The publicity ran for three months and enabled pensioners to turn up their heating, confident that a payment would be made. The Helpline is still available.