§ Mr. Frank FieldTo ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many senior citizens in Birkenhead have benefited from the winter fuel allowance since 1997. [166509]
§ Malcolm WicksThe number of people who have benefited from a Winter Fuel Payment in the Birkenhead constituency is in the following table. Figures for 1997–98 and 1998–99 are not available.
Payments made 1999–2000 12,610 2000–01 13,845 2001–02 13,960 2002–03 14,240 2003–04 14,375 Notes: 1. Figures are rounded to the nearest five. 2. Please note that these figures for 2003–04 refer only to the main payment run i.e. they do not include the late payment run figures. We estimate that there are approximately 100,000 people in Great Britain paid via late payment runs (0.8 per cent. of all payments). However, since late payment runs are mainly in respect of non-system cases whose claim had not been received by Qualifying Week, they are heavily skewed towards men aged 60. 3. Figures are not held for the first two years of the scheme as payments were only made to those on certain benefits. Figures have been kept since it was known the scheme would be extended to all those aged 60 or over. Source: IAD Information center, 100 per cent. sample.