To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what was the total number of people who (a) were entitled to and (b) claimed severe weather payments in 1986–87 and, so far as the information is available, in the current winter; and how many in each case were pensioners.
We estimate that about 2·2 million households are eligible to claim cold weather payments this winter, of whom 1·25 million are pensioner households. Information on claims made this winter is not yet available.Cold weather payments in 1986–87 were made under the previous scheme. I refer the hon. Member to my reply to the hon. Member for Moray, (Mrs. Ewing), on 14 February, at col
583, which lists the number of payments. Details are not available of the claims made, or of the numbers of people eligible for payments.
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many cold weather payments were made each day from 1 February.
Information regarding the number of cold weather payments made is collected each calendar month. When it becomes available, the information for February will be placed in the Library.
| Table A | ||
| Research currently underway | ||
| Project | Cost | Completion due |
| (£ thousands) | ||
| Maternity rights and benefits | 144 | Final report awaited |
| Consumer views of the attendance allowance medical examination | In-house | Completed: final report received |
| Invalid care allowance | 142 | Completed: final report received |
| Disability working allowance research | 32 | April 1991 |
| Survey of incomes in and out of work2—Econometric analysis of durations | 67 | Early 1992 |
| Survey of incomes in and out of work—further analysis of attitude data | 10 | Autumn 1991 |
| Survey of incomes in and out of work—replacement ratio analysis | In-house | Autumn 1991 |
| Severe hardship payments for 16/17 year olds | 119 | Final report awaited |
| Impact of family credit | 204 | August 1992 |
| National child development survey—5th sweep | 1175 | July 1993 |
| Operation of the social fund | 330 | December 1991 |
| Survey of social fund review procedures | 110 | April 1991 |
| Survey of credit and debt | 111 | April 1991 |
| Preliminary study of people leaving certain long-stay institutions | 5 | Completed: Final report recently received |
| Improvements to family expenditure survey grossing up procedures | 30 | June 1991 |
| Family credit and the self-employed | 131 | March 1993 |
| Actively seeking work provisions | 35 | Awaiting final report |
| British household panel study | 1125 | March 1995 |
| Survey of retirement and retirement plans | 828 | Autumn 1991 |
| Analysis of data from the survey of retirement, including econometric modelling | 54 | December 1992 |
| Consumer perceptions of personal pensions | 26 | Completed: final report recently received |
| British social attitudes survey 1991, 1993, 1994 | 160 | Late 1992 (for 1991 survey) |
| OPCS omnibus survey | 141 | May 1991 |
| Information needs of informal advisers | 39 | Completed: report recently received |
| Forms design | 70 | October 1991 |
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what would be the additional cost if the cold weather payments were paid to those pensioners who receive (a) £20 a week above the income support maximum and (b) £10 a week above that level.
[holding answer 15 February 1991]: The estimated costs are for (a) £5·5 million per week and for (b) £4 million per week.
Note: These costs are for payments to those benefit units which have at least one member who is 60 years or over and capital under £1000. These estimates assume all those entitled to a payment make a claim.
Source: Modelled using data drawn from the 1986–87–88 Family Expenditure Surveys.