§ 27. Mr. WigleyTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will make it his policy to ensure that every man and woman who reaches retirement age during the course of each winter will be entitled to a fuel payment. [107215]
§ Angela EagleWe want to ensure that people receive their payments in good time to contribute towards winter fuel bills. To ensure the payment process is completed in time it is necessary to put in place a qualifying week during which eligible people can be identified.
Under these arrangements, those who reach their 60th birthday after the qualifying week will not receive a payment until the following winter. Our policy of making payments at the earliest opportunity ensures that the very 56W elderly, who will include the vast majority of those who are most frail, have their payment in their hands when they need it.