HC Deb 22 October 2003 vol 411 cc566-7W
14. Tom Brake

To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what recent assessment he has conducted of the impact of council tax on pensioners. [133447]

Phil Hope

The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister has not conducted such an assessment. However, council tax benefit, administered by the Department for Work and Pensions, is available to help low income pensioners pay their council tax. Council tax benefit is paid to around 3.9 million households in England, of which around two million are pensioners. With the recent introduction of pension credit, some 1.6 million pensioners will gain benefit and 310,000 will be entitled to benefit for the first time.

Mr. Drew

To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will publish the advice that he has offered to Kent County Council on their desire to fix the level of council tax increases for pensioners at the rate of inflation. [133638]

Mr. Raynsford

The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister arranged for a copy of my letter of 6 October 2003 to Kent County Council to be available in the Library of the House.