Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many calls were made to the winter fuel payment helpline 08459 151515 in each of the last five financial years; how much revenue was generated by these calls; and when he expects to end the use of this number.

Calls to the winter fuel payment helpline were:

· 2013/14 226,672

· 2012/13 303,610

· We do not hold data for the three financial years before 2012/13

For the financial years of 2009/10 – 2013/14, the Department for Work and Pensions did not receive any revenue for the telephone number 08459 151515.

The Winter Fuel Payment Helpline service can also be accessed by dialling 0345 9151515. Callers to 0845 9151515 are informed of the availability of the 0345 number option. There is still evidence that the 0845 option can be cheaper for some callers and as a result there are currently no plans to discontinue this number.

DWP use of 0845 numbers will be reviewed once the impacts of Ofcom changes to 08 numbers are known. These changes are currently scheduled to be implemented in July 2015.