HC Deb 09 July 2001 vol 371 cc367-9W
Paul Flynn

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many additional claims for the Minimum Income Guarantee(a) have been received, (b) have been processed and (c) were successful as a result of the national take-up campaign; and what his latest estimate is of the number of pensioners entitled I to Income Support and not receiving it. [2390]

Mr. McCartney

Up to the end of May 2001, 227,333 additional claims for Minimum Income Guarantee have been received and processed since the beginning of the MIG take-up campaign in May 2000. Of those claims 110,744 have been successful.

The latest estimates of pensioner s entitled to Income Support and not receiving it are set out in the publication "Income Related Benefits—Estimates of Take Up in 1998–99". A copy is available in the Library.

Mr. Willetts

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the timetable is for publishing the results of the quantative tracking research on pensioners' awareness of the Minimum Income; Guarantee; and on what date the report on the use of the MIG claimline will be published. [2273]

Mr. McCartney

Copies of the Management Summaries of the research to track pensioners' awareness of the Minimum Income Guarantee have been placed in the Library.

We expect to publish the report on the evaluation of the Minimum Income Guarantee claim line later this year.

Mr. Willetts

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many pensioners have become newly entitled to the Minimum Income Guarantee in each year since 1997 as a result of(a) benefit increases, (b) reduced capital and (c) reduced income. [2256]

Mr. McCartney

The information is not available.

Mr. Willetts

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions for what reasons people who have responded to the Minimum Income Guarantee take-up campaign have had their claims refused, indicating the number affected by each reason. [2253]

Mr. McCartney

The information is in the table.

Reasons for refused claims and numbers affected from May 2000 to May 2001
Reason Percentage Number
Income 54 62,958
Capital 41 47,801
Other 5 5,830

Mr. Willetts

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many(a) single and (b) married pensioners who have made a successful claim to the Minimum Income Guarantee as a result of the take-up campaign have received an additional weekly income of (i) less than £5, (ii)between £5 and £10, (iii) between £10 and £20, (iv) between £20 and £30, (v) between £30 and £40, (vi) between £40 and £50 and (vii) over £50. [2252]

Mr. McCartney

The information is not available.

Mr. Willetts

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many(a) letters have been sent out, (b) telephone calls have been made to the MIG claim line, (c) postal packs have been sent out, (d) additional claims have been made and (e) additional successful claims there have been as a result of the MIG take-up campaign to the end of May. [2255]

Mr. McCartney

As at the end of May 2001, 227,333 additional claims have been made since the beginning of the MIG take-up campaign. Of these, 110,744 have been successful.

Between 30 May 2000 and mid-November 2000, 2.4 million Minimum Income Guarantee (MIG) mailshot letters were issued and a further 102,000 were issued between 5 March 2001 and 9 March 2001.

As at the end of June 2001, the MIG claim line answered 579,260 telephone calls and 571,900 postal packs were sent out.

Mr. George Howarth

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what his latest estimate is of the number of elderly people entitled to the Minimum Income Guarantee but not claiming it; and if he will make a statement. [2132]

Mr. McCartney

The latest estimates of the numbers of elderly people entitled to Income Support (Minimum Income Guarantee since April 1999) but not claiming it are set out in the publication "Income Related Benefits—Estimates of Take Up in 1998–99", a copy of which is in the Library.