HC Deb 16 January 2002 vol 378 c376W
Ms Walley

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people in(a) Stoke-on-Trent, North, (b) Staffordshire and (c) England he expects to receive a guaranteed winter fuel payment of £200 this winter. [25527]

Mr. McCartney

Winter fuel payments are available to most people aged 60 and over. Those people who are entitled to winter fuel payments and are in receipt of State benefits are paid automatically; others have to claim. The rate is either £200 or £100, depending on whether the individual lives alone or with another eligible person. The information in respect of this winter is not yet available, but details for last winter are shown in the table. We expect the figures for this winter to be similar.

Number of people receiving a winter fuel payment in the Stoke-on-Trent, North constituency, the county of Staffordshire and England in 2000–01.
Thousand
All winter fuel payments Winter fuel payment of £200
Stoke on Trent, North 15.8 7.7
Staffordshire 160.9 74.5
England 9,526.3 4,742.0

Note:

  1. 1. Figures have been rounded to the nearest hundred.
  2. 2. Figures are based on a 5 per cent. sample and are therefore subject to sampling error.

Source:

Matching Intelligence Data Analysis Service Winter Fuels Payment 2000–01 exercise.

Ms Oona King

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if a pensioner(a) in receipt and (b) not in receipt of income support in winter 2000 was eligible for the winter fuel payment in winter 2000; and if payment was automatic. [25259]

Mr. McCartney

Most people aged 60 and over in a specified qualifying week are entitled to a winter fuel payment. However, people living permanently in residential care homes or nursing homes who are receiving higher levels of income support are not entitled to winter fuel payments as they are already receiving public assistance with their care costs, which includes heating.

In winter 2000–01, eligible people receiving income support in the qualifying week received payments automatically, without the need to claim, as did those receiving state retirement pension or other social security benefits (excluding housing benefit, council tax benefit and child benefit). Other eligible people needed to make a claim.