§ 75. Mr. Fortescueasked the Minister of Social Security whether she will give instructions that the entitlement of retirement pensioners to a special diet allowance shall not mean disentitlement to the long term addition paid automatically to all retirement pensioners; and if she will make a statement.
§ Mrs. HartThe whole purpose of the long-term addition is to give a margin for special expenses necessarily incurred. The Ministry of Social Security Act, therefore, provides that the Supplementary Benefits Commission shall have regard to this addition in deciding whether a supplementary pension should be increased to provide for dietary and other special expenses. If these amount to more than 10 shillings, the level of a pensioner's income can be further increased.