Housing Benefit (Hansard, 29 July 1988)

§ Mr. Beith
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security whether he will now place further advertisements in national and regional newspapers advising pensioners how to apply for transitional payments in respect of housing benefit increases.

§ Mr. Scott
Yes. A two-week advertising campaign in national newspapers began on Thursday 28 July.

§ Ms. Mowlam
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if there is a final date for applications for the transitional additions payable in respect of people who lost as a result of the introduction of the new housing benefit system.
819W

§ Mr. Scott
No cut-off date for applications has yet been announced.

§ Mr. Robin Cook
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is the estimated administrative cost per successful application for housing benefit transitional payments made by the Glasgow unit.

§ Mr. Scott
It will not be possible to provide the information requested until we know more about the number of successful applications and the final cost of setting up the transitional payments unit.

§ Mr. Robin Cook
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is the total planned expenditure for advertising the availability of housing benefit transitional protection.

§ Mr. Scott
The first stage of an advertising campaign publicising changes to housing benefit capital rules and transitional payments appeared in the national press at the end of May at a cost of £263,000. The second stage of this campaign began on Thursday 28 July and will cost £248,000. This is the total planned expenditure on advertising the changes to date.