§ Mr. RendelTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many pensioners are currently being underpaid in respect of their SERPS entitlements. [67901]
§ Mr. TimmsIt is estimated that potentially some 172,000 pensioners could be being underpaid in respect of their SERPS.
§ Mr. WebbTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many pensioner households will receive a winter fuel payment(a) this year and (b) next year. [67781]
§ Angela EagleBoth this winter and next, an estimated 7 million pensioner households will receive Winter Fuel Payments.
§ Mr. RendelTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will estimate how many pensioners in(a) each region, (b) Scotland and (c) Wales fail to claim the (i) income support, (ii) housing benefit, (iii) council tax benefit and (iv) other benefits to which they are entitled. [67780]
§ Mr. TimmsThe information is not available. Following the discovery of an error in the published take-up statistics, we are working towards publication of revised statistics relating to 1996–97. Publication is likely in the Spring.
§ Mr. RendelTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many new retirement pension claims were made in each month since 1 April 1998; and how many of those are currently not receiving correct and final payments of retirement pension. [67900]
§ Mr. TimmsThe number of new retirement pension claims made in each month since 1 April 1998 are as follows:
Month Number April 1998 51,236 May 1998 45,718 June 1998 55,605 July 1998 50,176 August 1998 42,988 September 1998 50,224 October 1998 51,318 November 1998 48,612 December 1998 36,672 Source: Central Data Unit
At 20 January 1999 it is estimated that 180,000 people are potentially not receiving correct and final payments of Retirement Pension.