To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what assessment she has made of the effects of the time taken to make support for mortgage interest payments on people in receipt of (a) income support, (b) income-based jobseeker’s allowance, (c) income-related employment and support allowance and (d) pension credit; what the reasons are for the time taken to make such payments; how many people she estimates will be affected by the time taken; what estimate she has made of the monetary value of such outstanding payments; when she expects payments to be made in accordance with target times; and if she will make a statement. (304879)

[holding answer 7 December 2009]: The information is not available in the format requested.

Neither Jobcentre Plus nor the Pension Disability and Carers Service has separate specific targets for processing support for mortgage interest (SMI) payments. Clearance times for SMI payments are measured along with all other claims or changes of circumstances affecting benefits.

Jobcentre Plus is meeting the actual average clearance targets for changes for all primary benefits; the Pension Disability and Carers Service is meeting its targets for clearing pension credit claims.