To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what are the total numbers who have received cold weather payments; and if he will make a statement on the operation of the automatic scheme.
Under the improved arrangements for cold weather payments introduced in November, 1,424,671 people have received cold weather payments so far this winter.
| Income Support customers with deductions—by number and percentage of total customers | ||||
| August 1991 | November 1991 | |||
| Number | Per cent. | Number | Per cent. | |
| Total number of Income Support recipients | 4,939,936 | 4,942,479 | ||
| Number of Social Fund deductions | 523,600 | (10·60) | 569,000 | (11·51) |
| Direct payments for: | ||||
| Community Charge arrears | 90,224 | (1·83) | 129,653 | (2·62) |
| Fuel charges | 262,322 | (5·31) | 263,140 | (5·32) |
| Rent arrears and service charges | 100,350 | (2·03) | 108,663 | (2·20) |
| Water charges | 83,964 | (1·70) | 98,835 | (2·00) |
Notes:
1. The figures used are based on the DSS Management Information Statistics collected at the end of August and November 1991. These figures are provisional and may be subject to amendment.
2. The social fund figures are based on the number of people making repayments over the whole of August and November and not at the end of the statistical month. It is not possible to exclude from the figures repayments made by people not in receipt of income support.
3. The information for rent arrears and service charges, fuel, and water includes cases where a deduction is being made for current charges only.