§ 26. Mr. Simmonsasked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance if he will state the amount payable weekly to a war widow with no dependent children; and how this basic war widow's pension compares with the current National Assistance rates for a single person, assuming rent to be 20s. a week.
§ Mr. Boyd-CarpenterThe basic pension rate for a war widow over 40 years of age is 66s. a week. The National Assistance scale rate for a single householder is 45s. a week, to which may be added an allowance for rent which in the majority of cases is the net rent paid.
§ Mr. SimmonsIs the Minister aware that in their campaign ex-Service organisations are giving priority to the position of widows? Will he give special attention to the needs of widows who are very little better off than they would be with National Assistance?
§ Mr. Boyd-CarpenterI am aware that following on the general increase in rates this year the ex-Service organisations are concentrating attention on certain widows, particularly elderly widows. I also have in mind the fact that although this provision is working very well on the whole, there is a limited number of cases which demand special study.