§ Mrs. Wiseasked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether it is still his policy that exceptional needs payments can be made by supplementary benefit offices to help with fuel bills when there are special circumstances; whether any fresh instructions have been issued about this; and whether the number of such payments is being cut down: (a) nationally and (b) in the Coventry area.
§ Mr. DeakinsExceptional needs payments are made at the discretion of the Supplementary Benefits Commission. I understand that the Commission has not issued any recent guidance intended to limit further the very restricted circumstances in which it considers it appropriate to make a lump sum payment to help with fuel debts. There is no evidence to suggest that the number of such payments has declined nationally, or in Coventry, since the introduction last February of procedures for safeguarding claimants' fuel supplies in cases where hardship might result from disconnection but where a lump-sum payment is not justified.