§ Mr. Gordon Wilsonasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will estimate the cost to central Government funds of making a £100 annual heating allowance payable to each family in receipt of family income supplement.
§ Mrs. ChalkerIn the coming winter, families on family income supplement will be getting help with fuel costs at a weekly level which will be equivalent to over £100 a year. The prescribed amounts and the maximum weekly payments of FIS in force from 25 November next have been specially raised to achieve this. The cost of this help will be in the region of £9 million in a full year.
A similar arrangement has been in effect since November 1979. This gives families, which are now on FIS, help with fuel costs at a weekly level equivalent to £52 a year.