Social Security Benefits: Payments

Steve Webb
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate he has made of the number of claimants of each type of benefit who will apply for bridging payments under the provisions of the Social Security (Claims and Payments) (Amendment (No.2)) Regulations 2008 and the Social Security (Transitional Payments) Regulations 2008 in each of the next two years.

Mr. McNulty
We have not made an estimate of the number of customers who may apply for a loan. We have made provision for all customers whose benefit payments will change from being made weekly to fortnightly in arrears to be offered a loan equivalent to 100 per cent. of their weekly benefit.

Steve Webb
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate he has made of the average weekly income of claimants of each type of benefit who will move to fortnightly benefit payments in arrears under the provisions of the Social Security (Claims and Payments) (Amendment (No.2)) Regulations 2008 and the Social Security (Transitional Payments) Regulations 2008.

Mr. McNulty
We have not made an estimate of average weekly income, because it can vary depending on an individual's circumstances—for example, customers may receive other sources of income such as child tax credits, earnings from part-time employment or occupational pensions, and so on.