Eligibility for Winter Fuel Payments is based on female State Pension age. The latest estimates we have show that there are currently around 600,000 higher and additional rate taxpayers in Great Britain in 2014/15 who are above the female State Pension age and therefore qualify for Winter Fuel Payments1<\/sup>.<\/p> <\/p> <\/p> We ask people who want to return their payment to do so by post so that it can be dealt with securely under existing Departmental financial processes and recorded against their Winter Fuel Payment account. We also ask for a covering letter indicating whether or not they wish us to continue to issue payments in future years.<\/p> <\/p> Returned payments should be sent to the address on the issuing letter or to the office that pays the claimant\u2019s benefit.<\/p> <\/p> <\/p> The latest estimates we have show that treating Winter Fuel Payments as taxable income would bring in around £250 million a year of additional revenue2<\/sup>.<\/p> <\/p> Notes:<\/p> 1. This estimate is based on the 2011/12 Survey of Personal Incomes using economic assumptions consistent with the OBR\u2019s November 2014 economic and fiscal outlook.<\/p> The estimate uses ONS population projections at mid year 2012 adjusted for financial years.<\/p> The estimate is rounded to the nearest 100,000.<\/p> <\/p> 2. This estimate is based on DWP modelling using HMRC taxpayer data from November 2012 and Winter Fuel Payment caseload data from Winter 2013.<\/p> This takes into account revenue from Basic, Higher and Additional rate taxpayers.<\/p> Winter Fuel Payment rates are assumed to be £200 per year for recipients under 80 and £300 a year for recipients aged 80 and over.<\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/3893", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord Freud"}
}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Lord Freud"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2015-01-26", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "groupedQuestionUIN" : [{"_value" : "HL4132"}
, {"_value" : "HL4133"}
], "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2015-01-26T12:13:04.467Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "29"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Work and Pensions"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Work and Pensions"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2015-01-14", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Winter Fuel Payment"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "2"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25277", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Lords"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask Her Majesty\u2019s Government how many recipients of the Winter Fuel Payment are higher rate taxpayers.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/225", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord Tyler"}
}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Lord Tyler"}
], "uin" : "HL4131"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/173572", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Work and Pensions"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/173572/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " Eligibility for Winter Fuel Payments is based on female State Pension age. The latest estimates we have show that there are currently around 600,000 higher and additional rate taxpayers in Great Britain in 2014/15 who are above the female State Pension age and therefore qualify for Winter Fuel Payments1<\/sup>.<\/p> <\/p> <\/p> We ask people who want to return their payment to do so by post so that it can be dealt with securely under existing Departmental financial processes and recorded against their Winter Fuel Payment account. We also ask for a covering letter indicating whether or not they wish us to continue to issue payments in future years.<\/p> <\/p> Returned payments should be sent to the address on the issuing letter or to the office that pays the claimant\u2019s benefit.<\/p> <\/p> <\/p> The latest estimates we have show that treating Winter Fuel Payments as taxable income would bring in around £250 million a year of additional revenue2<\/sup>.<\/p> <\/p> Notes:<\/p> 1. This estimate is based on the 2011/12 Survey of Personal Incomes using economic assumptions consistent with the OBR\u2019s November 2014 economic and fiscal outlook.<\/p> The estimate uses ONS population projections at mid year 2012 adjusted for financial years.<\/p> The estimate is rounded to the nearest 100,000.<\/p> <\/p> 2. This estimate is based on DWP modelling using HMRC taxpayer data from November 2012 and Winter Fuel Payment caseload data from Winter 2013.<\/p> This takes into account revenue from Basic, Higher and Additional rate taxpayers.<\/p> Winter Fuel Payment rates are assumed to be £200 per year for recipients under 80 and £300 a year for recipients aged 80 and over.<\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/3893", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord Freud"}
}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Lord Freud"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2015-01-26", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "groupedQuestionUIN" : [{"_value" : "HL4131"}
, {"_value" : "HL4133"}
], "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2015-01-26T12:13:04.81Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "29"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Work and Pensions"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Work and Pensions"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2015-01-14", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Winter Fuel Payment: Repayments"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "2"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25277", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Lords"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask Her Majesty\u2019s Government whether, and if so how, recipients of the Winter Fuel Payment may return their payment to the Treasury.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/225", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord Tyler"}
}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Lord Tyler"}
], "uin" : "HL4132"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/173573", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Work and Pensions"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/173573/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " Eligibility for Winter Fuel Payments is based on female State Pension age. The latest estimates we have show that there are currently around 600,000 higher and additional rate taxpayers in Great Britain in 2014/15 who are above the female State Pension age and therefore qualify for Winter Fuel Payments1<\/sup>.<\/p> <\/p> <\/p> We ask people who want to return their payment to do so by post so that it can be dealt with securely under existing Departmental financial processes and recorded against their Winter Fuel Payment account. We also ask for a covering letter indicating whether or not they wish us to continue to issue payments in future years.<\/p> <\/p> Returned payments should be sent to the address on the issuing letter or to the office that pays the claimant\u2019s benefit.<\/p> <\/p> <\/p> The latest estimates we have show that treating Winter Fuel Payments as taxable income would bring in around £250 million a year of additional revenue2<\/sup>.<\/p> <\/p> Notes:<\/p> 1. This estimate is based on the 2011/12 Survey of Personal Incomes using economic assumptions consistent with the OBR\u2019s November 2014 economic and fiscal outlook.<\/p> The estimate uses ONS population projections at mid year 2012 adjusted for financial years.<\/p> The estimate is rounded to the nearest 100,000.<\/p> <\/p> 2. This estimate is based on DWP modelling using HMRC taxpayer data from November 2012 and Winter Fuel Payment caseload data from Winter 2013.<\/p> This takes into account revenue from Basic, Higher and Additional rate taxpayers.<\/p> Winter Fuel Payment rates are assumed to be £200 per year for recipients under 80 and £300 a year for recipients aged 80 and over.<\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/3893", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord Freud"}
}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Lord Freud"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2015-01-26", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "groupedQuestionUIN" : [{"_value" : "HL4131"}
, {"_value" : "HL4132"}
], "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2015-01-26T12:13:05.15Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "29"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Work and Pensions"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Work and Pensions"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2015-01-14", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Winter Fuel Payment"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "2"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25277", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Lords"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask Her Majesty\u2019s Government what assessment they have made of the revenues which would be realised by applying income tax to Winter Fuel Payments.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/225", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord Tyler"}
}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Lord Tyler"}
], "uin" : "HL4133"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/173534", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Work and Pensions"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/173534/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " Decisions about the up-rating of social security benefits, and subsequent changes to public sector pensions, are taken annually following the publication of September\u2019s price inflation, so such decisions would be for a future Government.<\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/3893", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord Freud"}
}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Lord Freud"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2015-01-19", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2015-01-19T15:09:24.937Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "29"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Work and Pensions"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Work and Pensions"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2015-01-13", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Pensions and Social Security Benefits"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "2"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25277", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Lords"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask Her Majesty\u2019s Government what arrangements are in place administratively and legislatively to reduce public sector pensions and social security benefits in the event of the consumer and retail price indices September 2015 recording negative growth and deflation; and what preparations they are making for that eventuality.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/2479", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord Laird"}
}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Lord Laird"}
], "uin" : "HL4116"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/172311", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Work and Pensions"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/172311/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " The National Benefit Fraud Hotline is one of 10 service lines delivered by Capita on behalf of DWP as part of the Network Services Directorate Call Off. There are multiple performance requirements within the contract to assure DWP that Capita are delivering a quality value for money service, the key ones being that Capita answer 90% of customer calls offered to them, and that they maintain a quality score of 89% for these calls against key quality criteria. These requirements are consistent with those in in-house DWP contact centres.<\/p> <\/p> Capita are consistently achieving both of the above metrics with calls answered scores as high as 98% and quality scores as high as 97% in recent weeks.<\/p> <\/p> DWP regularly audit the Capita quality team and undertake activities to ensure that scoring is in alignment with that of DWP.<\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/3893", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord Freud"}
}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Lord Freud"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2015-01-12", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2015-01-12T15:15:05.257Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "29"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Work and Pensions"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Work and Pensions"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2015-01-06", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Social Security Benefits: Fraud"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "2"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25277", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Lords"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask Her Majesty\u2019s Government what assessment they have made of the quality of service and value-for-money provided by Capita in operating the National Benefit Fraud Hotline.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/2568", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord Ashcroft"}
}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Lord Ashcroft"}
], "uin" : "HL3894"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/172330", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Work and Pensions"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/172330/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " The staff guidance on the Access to Work scheme is published on gov.uk<\/p> <\/p> It can be found at the following link https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/387398/access-to-work-guide.pdf<\/a> <\/strong><\/p> <\/strong><\/p> The Minister for Disabled People set out in a written statement on the 18th<\/sup> December 2014 that we will work with stakeholders to develop further, user-friendly guidance, with the aim of beginning to publish this by the end of March 2015.<\/strong><\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/3893", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord Freud"}
}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Lord Freud"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2015-01-12", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2015-01-12T15:15:38.907Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "29"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Work and Pensions"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Work and Pensions"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2015-01-06", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Access to Work Programme"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "2"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25277", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Lords"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask Her Majesty\u2019s Government when they expect to publish (1) their current guidance on the Access to Work scheme, and (2) the forthcoming revision of that guidance.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/3785", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Baroness Thomas of Winchester"}
}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Baroness Thomas of Winchester"}
], "uin" : "HL3913"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/170968", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Work and Pensions"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/170968/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " There are no current plans to uprate the Local Housing Allowance rate applicable to Temporary Accommodation in Housing Benefit.<\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/3893", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord Freud"}
}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Lord Freud"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2014-12-18", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2014-12-18T16:10:53.437Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "29"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Work and Pensions"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Work and Pensions"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2014-12-17", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Temporary Accommodation: Greater London"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "2"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25277", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Lords"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask Her Majesty\u2019s Government whether they plan to uprate the Housing Benefit Subsidy regime for temporary accommodation to address any difficulties experienced by London boroughs in procuring accommodation for statutorily homeless households at or below 90 per cent of the 2011 rate of Local Housing Allowance.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/143", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Baroness King of Bow"}
}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Baroness King of Bow"}
], "uin" : "HL3875"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/170969", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Work and Pensions"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/170969/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " The latest official statistics on the benefit cap can be found at:<\/p> https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/benefit-cap-number-of-households-capped-to-august-2014<\/a><\/p> <\/p> These statistics do not contain benefit type information. A suite of evaluation was published on 15 December 2014. This evaluation made estimates of the proportion of capped households in scope for the cap who were in receipt of Jobseeker\u2019s Allowance (JSA), Income Support (IS), Employment Support Allowance (ESA) or other benefit types over time. The evaluation uses a different methodology to the Official Statistics and does not provide a cumulative count of numbers which is in line with Official Statistics. In July 2014 (the most recent data used in the evaluation), estimates found 23 per cent of capped claimants were in receipt of ESA; 45 per cent of capped claimants were in receipt of IS; and 9 per cent were in receipt of another benefit type, of which modelling suggests around 1,400 households had at least one Carer\u2019s Allowance claimant.<\/p> Further information can be found at:<\/p> https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/benefit-cap-evaluation<\/a><\/p>