The winter fuel payment is intended to provide a contribution towards winter heating bills which account for around 60 per cent. of the total annual fuel bill. The payment provides a significant contribution to these higher winter costs. Winter fuel payments have increased from £20 in 1997-98 to the current value of £200 for households with someone aged 60 to 79 years of age, and £300 for households with someone aged 80 or over.
Next winter, 2008-09, a one-off additional payment will be made. Households with someone aged 60 to 79 will receive an extra £50 giving them £250 and households with someone aged 80 or over will receive an extra £100 giving them £400.
The following table shows the winter fuel payment as a percentage of average winter fuel bills for all households, by region. Information relating to pensioner household expenditure on fuel broken down by region is not available. Obviously these figures will be significantly affected by the Budget announcement.
1997-98 1998-99 1999-2000 2000-01 2001-02 2002-03 2003-04 2003-04 2004-05 2004-05 2005-06 2005-06 Region £20 £20 £100 £200 £200 £200 £200 £300 £200 £300 £200 £300 WFP as a percentage of average winter fuel bill for all households North East 5 6 27 57 53 55 56 84 56 84 54 81 North West 5 5 26 54 56 55 55 83 54 81 51 76 Yorkshire and the Humber 5 6 27 56 59 58 58 87 54 81 51 76 East Midlands 5 6 27 55 55 53 54 81 53 80 52 78 West Midlands 5 5 26 53 55 56 56 84 55 82 51 76 East of England 6 6 28 58 54 55 54 81 53 79 50 74 London 6 6 29 59 61 61 59 89 57 86 53 80 South East 6 6 28 57 53 55 54 81 54 81 51 76 South West 6 6 29 57 55 53 53 80 53 79 51 76 Wales 5 5 25 53 54 54 53 79 50 76 48 72 Scotland 5 5 25 52 53 52 52 78 50 76 48 71 Notes: 1. From winter 2003-04 the winter fuel payment increased to 300 for people aged 80 or over. 2. The percentage figures in the tables are based on an average of all households expenditure on fuel, by region. Source: Family Spending Surveys 2002-03 to 2005-06.