The available information is in the following table.
Number of cold weather payments (Thousand) Total amount spent (£ million) 1988-89 0.5 0.003 1989-90 n/a 0.4 1990-91 n/a 9.3 1991-92 3,827 23.0 1992-93 2,503 15.0 1993-94 2,064 12.4 1994-95 11 0.1 1995-96 7,252 61.6 1996-97 4,964 42.2 1997-98 55 0.5 1998-99 26 0.2 1999-2000 114 1.0 2000-01 3,535 30.0 2001-02 1,804 15.3 2002-03 1,675 14.2 2003-04 418 3.5 2004-05 213 1.8 2005-06 988 8.4 2006-07 402 3.4 2007-08 472 4.0 n/a = not available Notes: 1. Figures are for payments triggered in the relevant financial year. 2. There was a single level of payment each year, except in 1990-91 when the level of payment was increased during the year. A breakdown of the number of payments for that year by level is not available. 3. Some people were made more than one payment in some years. 4. Numbers of payments made are rounded to the nearest 1,000, except for 1988-89 where the number of payments is rounded to the nearest 100. Amounts spent are rounded to the nearest £0.1 million, except for 1988-89 where the amount spent is rounded to the nearest £1,000. 5. Data are not available on the numbers of payments received (as opposed to made) or on the numbers of people who received payments. However, the vast majority of payments are now made direct into bank accounts. Source: Annual reports by the Secretary of State for Social Security/Work and Pensions on the Social Fund.