§ Mr. Ray Powellasked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many men who have reached the age of 60 years and have been made redundant in the last 12 months have been able to qualify for the new early retirement benefit.
§ Mrs. ChalkerThere has been no change in the qualifying age for retirement pension. However, the Supplementary Benefit (Requirements and Conditions of Entitlement) Amendment Regulations 1981—SI 1981 No. 1197—which come into effect on 23 November will allow unemployed men aged 60 and over who have been receiving supplementary benefit for at least a year to opt no longer to register for work. They will qualify for the higher long-term rate of supplementary benefit which is available after a year on the ordinary rate to those who do 169W not have to register for work as a condition of receiving benefit. Men aged 60 or over who wish to continue to register for work may do so, but will not then qualify for the long-term rate. It is estimated that in a full year about 45,000 men will take advantage of these arrangements at a cost of about £21 million.