Winter Fuel Payments

Dr. Cable

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the cost to the public purse of winter fuel payments was in each of the last five years; and what estimate she has made of the cost in each of the next five years. (285846)

Published information is in the table.

*Benefit expenditure, Great Britain (£ million)*
	2004-05	2005-06	2006-07	2007-08	2008-09	2009-10	2010-11
Winter Fuel Payments (at 2009-10 prices)	2,189	2,166	2,144	2,144	2,720	2,731	2,121
Winter Fuel Payments (nominal terms)	1,962	1,982	2,015	2,071	2,694	2,731	2,153
Source: DWP accounting data

These figures are published on the DWP website:

http://research.dwp.gov.uk/asd/asd4/medium_term.asp

Volume 496: debated on Monday 20 July 2009