§ Dr. Lynne JonesTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what are her estimates of the annual cost of the new heating allowances(a) for pensioners on income support and (b) for other pensioners; and what would be the cost of extending these payments (i) to families who currently qualify for cold weather payments and (ii) to families with children under five years of age who receive in-work benefits. [20625]
§ Mr. DenhamThe additional help of £400 million over this winter and next, announced by my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer on 25 November 1997,Official Report, columns 773–98, demonstrates the Government's commitment to help the elderly keep warm in their homes during cold weather.
People receiving Income Support in income-based Jobseeker's Allowance during the week commencing 5 January where their benefit includes one of the pensioner premiums will receive a Winter Fuel Payment of £50. Around 1.5 million payments should be made at a cost of over £70 million.
Other eligible pensioners will receive a payment of £20 or £10. Where there is only one eligible person in a household, or the eligible person is of no fixed abode, they will receive £20; otherwise, each person will receive £10. It is estimated that over 3 million payments will be issued for £20 and almost 5 million for £10 at a cost of £120 million.
Overall, almost 10 million payments will be made to over seven million pensioner households at a total cost of around £200 million.
The estimated additional cost of extending the provision and making a £50 payment to each family who: (i) are currently eligible for Cold Weather Payments would be £70 million; or, (ii) have children under five and are receiving in-work benefits of either Family Credit, Housing Benefit (non-IS cases), Council Tax Benefit (non-IS cases) or Disability Working Allowance would be £10 million.
Note: all figures are rounded to the nearest 10 million.