§ Mr. WebbTo ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will estimate how many people who became newly entitled for the 2003–04 winter fuel payment and who needed to make a claim before 19 September in order to receive their payment before Christmas failed to do so; and what the value was of such payments. [134107]
§ Malcolm WicksWe estimate that for winter 2003–04, there could be around 600,000 people newly entitled to a Winter Fuel Payment. Around half of these will need to claim because they will not be in receipt of a relevant benefit which qualifies them for an automatic payment.
By 19 September 2003, around 170,000 claim forms had been received and processed for payment, although some of these may have been from people entitled to an automatic payment. However, since then a further 24,000 claims were received and processed for payment.
We are unable to provide any reliable estimate of the value of unclaimed winter fuel payments because some people aged 60 or over are excluded, others choose not to claim and payments are based on household composition.
Where a person needs to claim, it is up to them whether they do so, and we publicise the availability of these payments. They have until 30 March 2004 to make their claim for this winter.