Mr Major’s Written Parliamentary Answer on Cold Weather Payments – 2 April 1987

Below is the text of Mr Major’s written Parliamentary Answer on Cold Weather Payments on 2nd April 1987.

Mrs. Beckett Asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the estimated cost of administering cold weather payments for the period January to March 1987, assuming maximum take-up; and how much was spent on publicising these payments.

Mr. Major [pursuant to his reply, 30 March 1987, c. 412]: The full cost of advertising and administering the exceptionally cold weather scheme in the current year will be assessed at the end of the winter period. However, total advertising costs for January 1987 were about £670,000.

Additional manpower in the form of 300 overtime man-years was allocated to local offices to help process cold weather claims at a cost of some £4 million. Extra travel and subsistence in connection with overtime working and increased postage costs were also incurred.

Mrs. Beckett Asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many cold weather payments have been made in 1987, in each week for which information is available, to claimants in each of the categories (a) over 65 years (b) chronically sick or disabled and (c) with a child under the age of two years.

Mr. Major [pursuant to his reply, 30 March 1987, c. 412]: Information is not available in the form requested. However, up to 24 February 1987, the latest date for which figures are available, approximately 1.9 million exceptionally cold weather £5 payments were made at a cost of £9.5 million.