Child Benefit

HC Deb 20 April 1977 vol 930 cc107-8W

Mr. Rooker

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will list those DHSS benefits, long-term and short-term, which can be reduced following a payment of the new child benefit.

Mr. Orme

The rates of the following benefits were reduced, under Regulation 3 of the Child Benefit and Social Security (Fixing and Adjustment of Rates) Regulations 1976 (SI 1976/1267), to take account of the introduction of child benefit on 4th April 1977Child's special allowance. Guardian's allowance. Increase in respect of dependent children of unemployment benefit, sickness benefit. invalidity pension, maternity allowance, widow's allowance, widowed mothers allowance, retirement pension, child's special allowance, non-contributory invalidity pension, invalid care allowance, injury benefit, industrial injuries disablement pension (unemployability supplement). Allowances in respect of children of deceased persons under the industrial injuries scheme. Reductions were also made from 4th April 1977 in the rates of allowances in respect of children paid with war disablement unemployability supplement, additional treatment allowance, allowances for motherless and fatherless children and, for the first child only, with war widow's pension. Child benefit is taken into account in assessing entitlement to supplementary benefit.

Mr. Rooker

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is his estimate of the number of families, where the head of household is a retirement pensioner, who as a result of the introduction of child benefit for the first child have had (a) no net increase in income and (b) a net decrease in income.

Mr. Orme

As at 26th November 1976 there were 26,000 retirement pensioners who were receiving an increase of retirement pension for children. In all these cases the retirement pension would be reduced by £1 with effect from the first pay day on or after 4th April 1977 to offset the payment of child benefit at £1 a week for the first child, and the net result would be neither an increase nor a decrease in income.