Financial Assistance Scheme

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people have received payment from the Financial Assistance Scheme; and how many payments have been made from the scheme in each month for which figures are available. (105900)

As at 17 November 2006, the Financial Assistance Scheme had paid 557 people.44 more people will be paid as soon as they have confirmed their personal details and a further 133 have been assessed and will be paid when they reach age 65.

The following monthly figures are available up to and including 17 November 2006:

*Number of payments—December 2005 to October 2006*
	New payments	Cumulative total
2005
December	13	13
2006
January	2	15
February	12	27
March	5	32
April	11	43
May	43	86
June	58	144
July	66	210
August	76	286
September	108	394
October	60	454
November¹	103	557
Total	557
¹ Up to 17th.

Volume 454: debated on Monday 11 December 2006