§ Mr. MeacherTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, pursuant to his reply of 25 February,Official Report, column 402, regarding cold weather payments, if he will inform the hon. Member for Oldham, West when the information is placed in the Library.
§ Mr. ScottYes, I will inform the hon. Member when information for February is placed in the Library. However, a full and accurate picture of cold weather payments claims and expenditure will not emerge until later because claims can be made up to three months after the period of cold weather.
§ Mr. AllenTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, pursuant to his answer of 21 February,Official Report, column 265, whether immediate payments of cold weather claims can be approved on the telephone by local offices without personal attendance or written application by the claimant.
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§ Mr. ScottNo. Claims for social fund cold weather payments, in common with other social security benefits, must be made in writing. A telephone call can alert the office to the likelihood of a claim, but payment will depend on written confirmation made either in person or through the post.
§ Mr. MorganTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is his most up-to-date estimate of the numbers of(a) applicants and (b) recipients of the special cold weather payments for the first two weeks of February.
§ Mr. ScottEstimates of cold weather payment claims and payments for the first two weeks of February could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. When details of actual claims and payments become available, they will be placed in the Library.