Cold Weather Payments

HC Deb 02 March 1999 vol 326 c707W

Mr. Cox

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what was the total amount of money paid in cold weather payments in 1998. [73781]

Mr. Timms

Last winter (1997–98) over 55,000 Cold Weather Payments were made at a total cost of almost £0.5 million.

To date this winter (1998–99), an estimated 26,000 payments have been made at a total cost of over £220,000.

The expenditure depends on the severity of the temperature conditions during each winter.