Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people in Peterborough constituency received a cold weather payment in the last 12 months for which records are available; and if will he make a statement.

The Cold Weather Payment scheme is administered at weather station level rather than any other standard GB geography such as constituency level. The coverage area for each weather station is determined by the Met Office which assesses the most appropriate weather station for each postcode area. Cold weather payments are triggered when the average temperature recorded at the weather station has been recorded as, or is forecast to be, 0^oC or below over seven consecutive days.

The constituency of Peterborough covers all or part of the postcode areas PE1-PE8 and PE13. Postcode areas PE1 to PE8 are covered by Wittering weather station. There have been no cold weather payments paid in this area in the last 12 months (to 27^th February 2015).

PE13 postcodes are covered by Marham weather station. Qualifying individuals living in this area will have received a payment in respect of a seven-day period of cold weather from 17^th-23^rd January 2015. No other payments were triggered in Marham in the last 12 months. Marham weather station covers the postcode areas of CB6-CB7, IP24-IP28, PE12-PE14 and PE30-PE38. We estimate that 23,800 payments were made in this area as a whole in respect of the January 2015 trigger. We are not able to break this figure down to a lower level.

Notes

1. The number of payments made is not necessarily the total number of individuals benefitting from a Cold Weather Payment. Any individuals making a joint claim for one of the qualifying benefits, such as a couple living together, will receive one payment between them rather than one payment each.

2. Individuals in receipt of Pension Credit are usually eligible for Cold Weather Payments. In addition those on Income Support, income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance, income-related Employment and Support Allowance or Universal Credit may be eligible for Cold Weather Payments if they are in receipt of certain disability benefits, have a disabled child, or a child under the age of five.

3. The number of payments given here is an estimate as information on the exact number of payments made is not readily available. These figures are produced by determining the volume of eligible recipients in each weather station area at the start of the winter season and using these figures throughout the winter to estimate payments and expenditure based on the actual triggers recorded.