To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many pensioners are currently being underpaid in respect of their SERPS entitlements. [67901]
It is estimated that potentially some 172,000 pensioners could be being underpaid in respect of their SERPS.
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many pensioner households will receive a winter fuel payment (a) this year and (b) next year. [67781]
Both this winter and next, an estimated 7 million pensioner households will receive Winter Fuel Payments.
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will estimate how many pensioners in (a) each region, (b) Scotland and (c) Wales fail to claim the (i) income support, (ii) housing benefit, (iii) council tax benefit and (iv) other benefits to which they are entitled. [67780]
The information is not available. Following the discovery of an error in the published take-up statistics, we are working towards publication of revised statistics relating to 1996–97. Publication is likely in the Spring.
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many new retirement pension claims were made in each month since 1 April 1998; and how many of those are currently not receiving correct and final payments of retirement pension. [67900]
The number of new retirement pension claims made in each month since 1 April 1998 are as follows:
| Month | Number |
| April 1998 | 51,236 |
| May 1998 | 45,718 |
| June 1998 | 55,605 |
| July 1998 | 50,176 |
| August 1998 | 42,988 |
| September 1998 | 50,224 |
| October 1998 | 51,318 |
| November 1998 | 48,612 |
| December 1998 | 36,672 |