HC Deb 21 June 2004 vol 422 cc1262-3W
Tony Lloyd

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many senior citizens in Manchester Central have benefited from the winter fuel allowance since 1997. [177739]

Malcolm Wicks

The number of senior citizens in Manchester Central who received a Winter Fuel Payment in each year since 1999–2000 (including provisional figures for 2003–04) is in the table. Information relating to the 1997–98 and 1998–99 winters is not available.

Year Payments
1999–2000 11,810
2000–01 12,560
2001–02 12,370
2002–03 12,295
2003–04 12,120
Notes:
1. Numbers are rounded to the nearest 5.
2. Please note that the figures for 2003–2004 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.