§ Miss KirkbrideTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how much of the £400 million budgeted for winter fuel payments has been spent on this year's payments. [44575]
§ Mr. DenhamWinter Fuel payments are one of a number of initiatives the Government have taken to help vulnerable people, especially the elderly, keep warm in the winter. A total of £400 million has been committed for two years (1997/98 and 1998/99), to help pensioners with fuel bills to pay.
Overall, almost ten million eligible pensioners in over seven million households received a payment between January and March 1998 at a total cost of nearly £200 million.