HC Deb 25 November 1986 vol 106 c206W
Mr. Ashley

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many severely disabled people are estimated to be currently receiving additional payments with their supplementary benefit because of their disability which total more than the illustrative rates which the severely disabled will receive under the provisions of the Social Security Act.

Mr. Major

I refer the right hon. Member to tables 1A and 1B, and 10A and 10B of the technical annex to the White Paper, "Reform of Social Security" (Cmnd. 9691) and to pages 9–14 of the annex which explain the basis on which the tables were constructed. The tables illustrate the effect of income support on sick and disabled people eligible for the disability premium, as compared to their entitlement to supplementary benefit, including additional payments.

Mr. Meadowcroft

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the latest estimate of the number of people claiming supplementary benefit board and lodging allowances.

Mr. Lyell

The latest available information on numbers of boarders is from the "Annual Statistical Enquiry" at December 1984. This shows 164,000 supplementary benefit claimants in ordinary board and lodging and hostels and 42,000 in private and voluntary residential care and nursing homes.