§ Mr. Malcolm BruceTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what would be the cost of replacing the Christmas pensioners bonus with a double payment of state pension in the first week of December. [22780]
§ Mr. HealdThe £10 Christmas bonus is paid to all those who are entitled to receive a qualifying benefit in the first week in December. To replace the bonus with an extra week's entitlement of basic state pension for the recipients of retirement pension alone would cost1£440 million at December 1996.
1 1996–97 prices rounded to nearest £10 million.Source:
Government Actuary's Department's report on Social Security Uprating Order 1996—Cm3149.