Winter Fuel Payments (Hansard, 10 December 2001)

§ Mr. Webb
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will estimate the number of people who became newly entitled for the 2000–01 winter fuel payment but did not make a claim before the cut-off date. [21935]

§ Mr. McCartney
According to our estimate about 1.5 million people could have been entitled to claim winter fuel payments in 2000–01 for the first time, and about 1 million have been paid.
It is not possible to provide a reliable estimate of the numbers who have not claimed because the estimate of those newly eligible was based on sample data. It is up to the individual, where a claim is necessary, to decide whether or not to make that claim.

§ Mr. Webb
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will estimate the number of people who became newly entitled for the 2001–02 winter fuel payment and made a claim before 21 September. [21934]

§ Mr. McCartney
Our estimate is that some 500,000 people could be newly entitled to winter fuel payments in 2001–02. Of this figure, at least 255,000 are being paid automatically. By 21 September, 170,000 claims had been received. This figure had risen to 195,000 by 30 November.

§ Mr. Webb
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will estimate the number of eligible people who have not received backdated winter fuel payments for the first three years of the scheme and the value of such payments. [21937]

§ Mr. McCartney
An estimated 1.9 million people were eligible for backdated payments for the first three years of the scheme. Around 1.2 million payments have now been made.
It is not possible to provide a reliable estimate of the numbers of unclaimed backdated payments, because the estimate of those eligible was based on sample data. There is no time limit on claiming backdated payments.

§ Mr. Webb
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what is the estimated saving to the Exchequer from those who were newly entitled to the 2000–01 winter fuel payment and did not claim before the cut-off date. [21936]

§ Mr. McCartney
It is not possible to estimate reliably the value of unclaimed winter fuel payments for this group, because the estimate of those newly eligible was based on sample data. It is up to the individual, where a claim is necessary, to decide whether or not to make that claim.
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