Written question asked by Brian Jenkins (Labour) on Thursday, 14 January 2010, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Monday, 18 January 2010. It was answered by Helen Goodman (Labour) on Thursday, 25 February 2010 on behalf of the Department for Work and Pensions.

Cold Weather Payments: Tamworth

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many pensioners in Tamworth constituency have received cold weather payments in 2009-10.

Answer: The number of pensioner benefit units in Tamworth constituency who have received cold weather payments in 2009-10 is estimated to be around 4,000.As well as pensioners, a range of other groups are also eligible for cold weather payments. People eligible are those awarded:"pension credit, or""income-related employment and support allowance that includes a work-related activity or support component."Those awarded:"income support, or""income-based jobseeker's allowance, or""income-related employment and support allowance in the assessment phase,"and who have:"a pensioner premium, or""a disability premium, or""a child who is disabled, or""a child under the age of five,"are also eligible to receive payments."Notes:""1. A benefit unit consists of a single person or a couple. The number of individual pensioners who have been helped by cold weather payments is greater than 4,000, because both members of a couple benefit unit have gained from the payment.""2. The figure has been rounded to the nearest 1,000.""Sources: Analysis of 5 per cent. sample data for pension credit, income support (for recipients with a pensioner premium), jobseeker's allowance (for recipients with a pensioner premium) and the Work and Pensions Longitudinal Study (100 per cent. data), all for May 2009, and DWP records of cold weather payment triggers."

Secondary information