16 December 2008 – Real help where it’s needed most – Winterton

Following the coldest start to winter in thirty years, the government today formally ordered a special one-off payment of £60 to 15 million vulnerable people to help them through the winter and ease worries they have with their bills.

The Department for Work and Pensions also revealed that the recent cold snap has triggered around 500,000 Cold Weather Payments already this year, worth over £12 million.

Speaking after a special debate in the House of Commons, Pensions Minister

Rosie Winterton said:

“We know that older people are facing tough times and that's why we are acting now to make this real help available. I am pleased to confirm that this year we will spend approximately £900 million on the additional Christmas bonus payments, putting an extra £60 in every pensioners’ pocket. They will also get bigger Winter Fuel Payments.

“This is not just going to 12.5 million pensioners, but also to around 2 million disabled people, 300,000 of whom are children, with a  further 350,000 who carers and around 150,000 people getting bereavement benefits.

“We’ve seen the coldest start to winter for thirty years. I hope that this cash, alongside increased Winter Fuel and Cold Weather Payments, means that no one hesitates to turn up their heating this winter.”

This support is in addition to the extra £4bn which will be spent on pensioners next year, announced by the Chancellor in the pre-budget report. This means the biggest increase in the State Pension since 2001, bringing it from £90 to £95 a week, and the biggest increase in Pension Credit since it was introduced, so that no pensioner need live on less than £130 a week from April 2009.

Notes to Editors

1. The Christmas Bonus will be paid in two instalments - recipients will get £10 in December, as in previous years, with the additional £60 to be paid between January and March in the New Year.
2. The majority of State Pension customers should receive the £60 payment in January 2009 in addition to their pension.  The remaining three million customers will get their £60 in February or March 2009.
3. Cold Weather Payments have been increased from £8.50 to £25 per week for winter 2008/09. They are paid out when the average temperature where the recipient lives is recorded as, or forecast to be, zero degrees Celsius or below, over seven consecutive days during the period from 1 November to 31 March. 
4. The government is spending £575m on increased Winter Fuel Payments this year. Someone aged between 60 and 79 will receiving £250 and £400 will go to households with someone aged 80 and over.

 

Media enquiries: Alison Clarke 020 3267 5141, John McNally 020 3267 5191.
Press office:  020 3267 5144
Out of hours: 07659 108883
Textphone: 020 3267 5145
Website: www.dwp.gov.uk