HC Deb 08 February 2001 vol 362 c695W
Mr. Stunell

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many applications for assistance with burial charges have been made to the Social Fund in each of the last five years, and how many have been granted(a) in full and (b) in part; and if he will make a statement. [148321]

Angela Eagle

The information is not available in the format requested. Such information as is available is in the table.

1999–2000 1998–99 1997–98 1996–97
Applications1 69,730 72,967 74,275 88,169
Full awards2 2,665 3,027 3,386 2,805
Partial awards3 39,207 40,838 41,387 51,688
1 The applications column shows all new applications received in the year 1 April to 31 March, including applications subsequently withdrawn.
2 Awards are those processed in the year 1 April to 31 March. These will include applications received at the end of the previous year but not processed until the year indicated, and will exclude applications received at the end of that year but not processed until the following year. This column includes payments subsequently returned and excludes awards made or altered following a successful appeal.
3 1995–96 data are not sufficiently reliable to provide a breakdown between full and partial awards.

Source:

Social Fund Policy, Budget and Management Information System