Winter Fuel Allowance (Hansard, 14 June 2004)

§ Ms Walley
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many senior citizens in Stoke-on-Trent North have benefited from the winter fuel allowance since 1997. [177623]

§ Malcolm Wicks
The number of senior citizens in Stoke-on-Trent North who received a winter fuel payment in each year since 1999–2000 (including 733W provisional figures for 2003–04) is in the table. Information relating to the 1997–98 and 1998–99 winters is not available.

Payments

1999–2000 14,525

2000–01 15,950

2001–02 16,101

2002–03 16,065

2003–04 16,090

Notes:

1. Numbers are rounded to the nearest 5.

2. Please note that the figures for 2003–04 refer only to the main payment run i.e. they do not include the late payment run figures. We estimate that there are approximately 100,000 people in Great Britain paid via late payment runs (0.8 per cent. of all payments). However, since late payment runs are mainly in respect of non-system cases whose claim had not been received by qualifying week, they are heavily skewed towards men aged 60.

Source:

IAD Information Centre, 100 per cent. samples.

§ James Purnell
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many pensioners in Stalybridge and Hyde received the winter fuel allowance; and how many receive the pension credit. [177685]

§ Malcolm Wicks
The number of pensioners in Stalybridge and Hyde who received a winter fuel payment for winter 2003–04 was 15,580. As at 31 May 2004, 4,530 households (5,430 individuals) in Stalybridge and Hyde were in receipt of pension credit.
Notes:
1. Figures are rounded to the nearest 5.
2. The winter fuel payment figure includes only the main payment run—i.e. it does not include late payment run figures. We estimate that there are approximately 100,000 people in Great Britain paid via late payment runs (0.8 per cent. of all payments). However, since late payment runs are mainly in respect of non-system cases whose claim had not been received by qualifying week, they are heavily skewed towards men aged 60.
3. Individuals in receipt of pension credit include a small number of cases of couples where the partner is under age 60.

Payments
1999–2000	14,525
2000–01	15,950
2001–02	16,101
2002–03	16,065
2003–04	16,090
Notes:
1. Numbers are rounded to the nearest 5.
2. Please note that the figures for 2003–04 refer only to the main payment run i.e. they do not include the late payment run figures. We estimate that there are approximately 100,000 people in Great Britain paid via late payment runs (0.8 per cent. of all payments). However, since late payment runs are mainly in respect of non-system cases whose claim had not been received by qualifying week, they are heavily skewed towards men aged 60.
Source:
IAD Information Centre, 100 per cent. samples.