§ Mr. WillettsTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, pursuant to his answer of 20 July 2000,Official Report, columns 270–71W, how many people (a) were eligible for backdated winter fuel payments for (i) 1997, (ii) 1998 and (iii) 1999, (b) have contacted the winter fuel payments helpline in each month since it began, (c) have made a claim for backdated winter fuel payments, (d) received a backdated winter fuel payment before the end of September and (e) have still to receive a backdated winter fuel payment. [134783]
§ Angela EagleIt is estimated that around a total of 1.9 million people could be eligible for payments in respect of previous winters. This includes men aged 60–64 and men and women over State Pension age who did not qualify for a Winter Fuel Payment before the extension of the scheme because they were not getting one of the qualifying benefits.
The number of estimated to be eligible in each of the three winters of 1997–98, 1998–99 and 1999–2000 is 1.4 million. The difference in the total number eligible and the number eligible in each of the three winters is due to the fact that some people will not be eligible for payments in respect of all three winters, since they were either aged under 60 for some of the period, or turned 65 during the period and will have already received payments for the second or third winter.
The number of calls the helpline has received during each month since it began, the winter of 1997–98, are in the table.
Months Number of calls Winter of 1997–98 (helpline opened 5 January 1998) January 30,347 February 13,046 March 142,536 April 52,094 May 10,447 Winter of 1998–99 (helpline opened 5 October 1998) October 6,561 November 13,206 December 10,233 January 49,338 February 32,455 March 8,237 April 592 Winter of 1999–2000 (helpline opened 13 September 1999) September 7,897 October 6,733 November 43,616 December 122,078 January 91,790 February 31,430 Helpline from April 2000 April 31,502 May 84,336 June 122,265 July 112,263 August 82,905 September 136,812 October 1105,820 1 Up to 20 October 2000 To date the number of claims received in respect of Winter Fule Payments for past winters is 999,490.
480WThe number of payments issued, in respect of past winters, before the end of September is 855,354. To date that number has increased to 936,240.
The number of claims outstanding to date are: 32,272 claims already been processed but awaiting issue; 20,707 claims returned to the customer seeking further information; 21,690 claims returned but not yet processed.