Benefits (Hansard, 23 January 1995)

§ 10. Mr. Flynn
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what plans he has to improve benefits to widows and the elderly.

§ Mr. Arbuthnot
Widows and pensioners will gain from the general uprating of benefits, in line with inflation, which will take effect in April.

§ Mr. Flynn
Will the Minister explain why the widow's payment, which was announced in 1985, has never been uprated by a single penny, despite the fact that it replaced a benefit that was increased in line with inflation every year? According to an answer that I received from the Minister, the widow's payment should now be £1,881, yet it is still only £1,000. It is despicable not to increase payments at any time, but why do the Government cheat widows at a time of bereavement?

§ Mr. Arbuthnot
Payment of the widow's payment is subject to a regular review by the Department. It must be borne in mind that we have finite resources, for which there are competing priorities. It is simply a question of concentrating help where it is most needed.

§ Mr. Hawkins
My hon. Friend will be aware that my constituency has the largest proportion of pensioners in the country. Will he confirm that, from April, the poorest pensioner couples will receive at least £100 a week and that, on top of that, their housing costs will be paid in full? Is not that a substantial measure of the Government's concern for the poorest of our elderly people?

§ Mr. Arbuthnot
My hon. Friend is right and he confirms what I said in my answer. Even the poorest pensioners—the bottom 20 per cent. of income groups—have seen significant real increases of more than 10 per cent. in their incomes since 1979.

§ Mr. Flynn
On a point of order, Madam Speaker. May I give notice that, because of that atrocious reply—even by the standards of this Government—I intend to raise the subject on the Adjournment?