Asked by: Lord Marlesford (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether they plan to provide an address for pensioners who would like assistance with the cost of winter fuel to ask for advice.
Answered by Baroness Sherlock - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The Department is committed to assisting customers with advice on Winter Fuel payments and the best way to seek advice is by contacting the Winter Fuel payment centre helpline on:
Telephone - 0800 731 0160; or
Textphone - contact Relay UK on 18001 then 0800 731 0160
Customers can also use the British Sign Language (BSL) video relay service to contact the department.
Customers may also contact the Winter Fuel payment centre through Gov.uk.
https://secure.dwp.gov.uk/contact-winter-fuel-payments-centre/contact-form
For those customers who wish to write to the department, the postal address is:
Winter Fuel Payment Centre
Mail Handling Site A
Wolverhampton
WV98 1LR
Asked by: Lord Marlesford (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Stedman-Scott on 27 October (HL2738), when they expect to have a figure available for the expenditure on the winter fuel allowance during the year 2020–21.
Answered by Baroness Stedman-Scott - Opposition Whip (Lords)
The DWP benefit and expenditure tables show the outturn for winter fuel payments for the year 2020/21 to be £1,958 million in nominal terms.
Further detail can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/benefit-expenditure-and-caseload-tables-2022
The Winter Fuel Payment statistics for 2020/21 and 2021/22 have now been published and can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/winter-fuel-payments-caseload-and-household-figures
Asked by: Lord Marlesford (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask His Majesty's Government how many households received the winter fuel allowance during the year 2021/22; what was the cost to public funds of this payment; and by how much the cost of the payment would have been reduced if it had been subject to income tax (1) on the same basis as is state retirement, and (2) only for taxpayers liable for higher rate 40 per cent income tax.
Answered by Baroness Stedman-Scott - Opposition Whip (Lords)
The latest published winter fuel payment statistics for 2019/20 show that 8.2 million households in Great Britain received a winter fuel payment. The overall cost was £2bn.
The Department for Work and Pensions does not hold details of individuals’ taxable income therefore we cannot calculate how much the cost of the payment would have been reduced if it had been subject to income tax (1) on the same basis as is state retirement, and (2) only for taxpayers liable for higher rate 40 per cent income tax.
Asked by: Lord Marlesford (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what has been the cost to the public purse in each of the last five years of the winter fuel allowance; and what would be the tax receipt if it were subject to the same tax as retirement pensions.
Answered by Baroness Altmann
The Government has committed to keeping the Winter Fuel Payment for the lifetime of this Parliament. The cost over the last five years is as follows:
2010/11 | 2011/12 | 2012/13 | 2013/14 | 2014/15 |
£m 2,759 | 2,149 | 2,144 | 2,140 | 2,117 |
The Government has not estimated the corresponding tax receipts had the Winter Fuel Payment been taxable.
There is a total of 11.4 million pensioners in the UK.
National Statistics, published by HMRC, show that in 2013/14, there were 6.12 million taxpayers whose main source of income is from pensions, of which 90 per cent pay the basic rate of tax and 6 per cent pay the higher rate of tax.
Asked by: Lord Marlesford (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what steps they will take to ascertain how many non-British nationals hold United Kingdom National Insurance numbers; and how many are citizens of (1) other European Union countries, and (2) non-European Union countries.
Answered by Lord Freud
Information as to how many National Insurance numbers were in use at the end of (1) 2013 and (2) 2014 could only be provided at disproportionate cost.
Non-British nationals, including those with time-limited visas, must be able to prove their identity, have a lawful immigration status and permission to work in the UK before they are entitled to a National Insurance number.
The Department for Work and Pensions does not cancel National Insurance numbers. This is because a National Insurance number, even if only used for a limited period, links an individual to their National Insurance contributions record which may be relevant in any future claim to benefits or State Pension.
The Department for Work and Pensions is provided with information by National Offender Management Service relating to all prisoners received into custody. On receipt of this information checks are undertaken by DWP to identify any benefit recipients. If benefit is in payment to any individual identified from this information the claim will be reassessed and DWP systems updated to reflect the change of circumstances.
There are no plans to take steps to ascertain how many non-British nationals hold United Kingdom National Insurance numbers.
Asked by: Lord Marlesford (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether the Department for Work and Pensions is informed when holders of United Kingdom National Insurance numbers receive custodial sentences; and whether the Department reassesses the benefits and other payments to which such persons are entitled.
Answered by Lord Freud
Information as to how many National Insurance numbers were in use at the end of (1) 2013 and (2) 2014 could only be provided at disproportionate cost.
Non-British nationals, including those with time-limited visas, must be able to prove their identity, have a lawful immigration status and permission to work in the UK before they are entitled to a National Insurance number.
The Department for Work and Pensions does not cancel National Insurance numbers. This is because a National Insurance number, even if only used for a limited period, links an individual to their National Insurance contributions record which may be relevant in any future claim to benefits or State Pension.
The Department for Work and Pensions is provided with information by National Offender Management Service relating to all prisoners received into custody. On receipt of this information checks are undertaken by DWP to identify any benefit recipients. If benefit is in payment to any individual identified from this information the claim will be reassessed and DWP systems updated to reflect the change of circumstances.
There are no plans to take steps to ascertain how many non-British nationals hold United Kingdom National Insurance numbers.
Asked by: Lord Marlesford (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what immigration status non-British citizens are required to have to be allocated a National Insurance number; in what circumstances non-European Union citizens admitted to the United Kingdom on time-limited visas are entitled to National Insurance numbers; and what arrangements are made automatically to cancel the numbers on the expiry of the visas.
Answered by Lord Freud
Information as to how many National Insurance numbers were in use at the end of (1) 2013 and (2) 2014 could only be provided at disproportionate cost.
Non-British nationals, including those with time-limited visas, must be able to prove their identity, have a lawful immigration status and permission to work in the UK before they are entitled to a National Insurance number.
The Department for Work and Pensions does not cancel National Insurance numbers. This is because a National Insurance number, even if only used for a limited period, links an individual to their National Insurance contributions record which may be relevant in any future claim to benefits or State Pension.
The Department for Work and Pensions is provided with information by National Offender Management Service relating to all prisoners received into custody. On receipt of this information checks are undertaken by DWP to identify any benefit recipients. If benefit is in payment to any individual identified from this information the claim will be reassessed and DWP systems updated to reflect the change of circumstances.
There are no plans to take steps to ascertain how many non-British nationals hold United Kingdom National Insurance numbers.
Asked by: Lord Marlesford (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many valid National Insurance numbers were in use at the end of (1) 2013, and (2) 2014.
Answered by Lord Freud
Information as to how many National Insurance numbers were in use at the end of (1) 2013 and (2) 2014 could only be provided at disproportionate cost.
Non-British nationals, including those with time-limited visas, must be able to prove their identity, have a lawful immigration status and permission to work in the UK before they are entitled to a National Insurance number.
The Department for Work and Pensions does not cancel National Insurance numbers. This is because a National Insurance number, even if only used for a limited period, links an individual to their National Insurance contributions record which may be relevant in any future claim to benefits or State Pension.
The Department for Work and Pensions is provided with information by National Offender Management Service relating to all prisoners received into custody. On receipt of this information checks are undertaken by DWP to identify any benefit recipients. If benefit is in payment to any individual identified from this information the claim will be reassessed and DWP systems updated to reflect the change of circumstances.
There are no plans to take steps to ascertain how many non-British nationals hold United Kingdom National Insurance numbers.
Asked by: Lord Marlesford (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many non-British nationals currently hold United Kingdom National Insurance numbers; and how many of those are citizens of other European Union countries and non-European Union countries respectively.
Answered by Lord Freud
The information relating to how many National Insurance numbers were created in the last 10 years could only be provided at disproportionate cost.
For a National Insurance number to be allocated under the adult allocation process, which mainly affects adults entering the UK from abroad, an individual must be 16 or over, be able to prove their identity and immigration status. For employment related applications individuals must be able to prove that they have a legal right to work in the UK. There are no conditions for tax status.
Information and documents provided to support a National Insurance number application are checked and corroborated with Other Government Departments and third parties. The only legislative conditions that DWP will seek to verify are with the Home Office.
The allocation of National Insurance numbers under the adult allocation process is processed centrally for Great Britain but Northern Ireland is administered separately by the Department for Social Development Northern Ireland.
Upon the death of an individual, DWP receive automatic updates from the three General Register Offices (GRO), England & Wales, Scotland on a daily basis and Northern Ireland on a weekly basis. DWP undertakes a rigorous matching process against the updates received from the GROs to ensure that DWP IT Customer Information System (CIS) records are annotated with the Date of Death within 24 hours of the GRO notification being received.
Also when notified of a death DWP staff can input death data, as long as it is supported by appropriate documentation i.e. death certificate, which is updated in real time to the DWP IT Customer Information System.
It is not possible to advise how many non-British nationals have UK National Insurance numbers.
Asked by: Lord Marlesford (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what are the administrative arrangements for notifying the Department for Work and Pensions of the death of holders of National Insurance numbers; and how soon after death they aim to be able to mark as deceased the records of the deceased person.
Answered by Lord Freud
The information relating to how many National Insurance numbers were created in the last 10 years could only be provided at disproportionate cost.
For a National Insurance number to be allocated under the adult allocation process, which mainly affects adults entering the UK from abroad, an individual must be 16 or over, be able to prove their identity and immigration status. For employment related applications individuals must be able to prove that they have a legal right to work in the UK. There are no conditions for tax status.
Information and documents provided to support a National Insurance number application are checked and corroborated with Other Government Departments and third parties. The only legislative conditions that DWP will seek to verify are with the Home Office.
The allocation of National Insurance numbers under the adult allocation process is processed centrally for Great Britain but Northern Ireland is administered separately by the Department for Social Development Northern Ireland.
Upon the death of an individual, DWP receive automatic updates from the three General Register Offices (GRO), England & Wales, Scotland on a daily basis and Northern Ireland on a weekly basis. DWP undertakes a rigorous matching process against the updates received from the GROs to ensure that DWP IT Customer Information System (CIS) records are annotated with the Date of Death within 24 hours of the GRO notification being received.
Also when notified of a death DWP staff can input death data, as long as it is supported by appropriate documentation i.e. death certificate, which is updated in real time to the DWP IT Customer Information System.
It is not possible to advise how many non-British nationals have UK National Insurance numbers.