§ Baroness Jegerasked Her Majesty's Government:
What arrangements are being made for the payment for heating allowances during the present winter, particularly in the event of severe weather conditions.
§ The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of Health and Social Security (Baroness Trumpington)Our main help with fuel costs for the less well off is through the weekly rates of supplementary benefit. In addition there is an extensive range of weekly payments, known as heating796WA additions, to give extra help to claimants whose circumstances may be expected to give rise to a need for extra expenditure on heating. For example, following the up-rating last month, supplementary pensioner householders over 65 qualify for a heating addition of at least £2.20 a week, and supplementary pensioner householders over 85 a heating addition of at least £5.45 a week. Under our plans for reform of social security outlined in the White Paper which we have just published, we intend that expenditure on heating additions should be included in the resources available for the proposed income support scheme, and the pattern of heating additions will be taken into account in setting the income support premiums for pensioners and other groups.
Alongside these major provisions, the supplementary benefit regulations also provide for single payments to claimants who experience extra fuel costs arising from exceptionally severe weather. On 6th December the Chief Adjudication Officer issued guidance to adjudication officers on the operation of the regulation following a recent ruling by the Social Security Commissioners. We are continuing to consider the provision very carefully in the light of the commissioners' decision and the Chief Adjudication Officer's guidance. A copy of the guidance is in the Library.