Benefits (Abatement) (Hansard, 8 April 1981)

§ Mr. Alfred Morris
asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what would be the cost of restoring (a) the 5 per cent. abatement and (b) the 1 per cent. abatement to sickness benefit and industrial injuries benefit in the tax year 1981–82.

Invalidity Pension (a) Total Benefit after November 1981 £ (b) Value of 1979 benefit at November 1981^* £ (c) Difference between (a) and (b) £ (d) Percentage drop in Value

Claimant only 28.35 29.60 1.25 4.2

Claimant and wife 45.35 47.39 2.04 4.3

Claimant, wife and 1 child 58.30 61.49 3.19 5.2

Claimant, wife and 2 children 71.25 75.59 4.34 5.7

Claimant, wife and 3 children 84.20 89.70 5.50 6.1

^*This is calculated by increasing the November 1979 benefit rate by 15.5 per cent., the rate of inflation between November 1979 and November 1980—and then by 10 per cent.—the estimated rate of inflation between November 1980 and November 1981.

§ Mr. Alfred Morris
asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many and what proportion of invalidity pensioners receive (a) higher rate invalidity allowance, (b) middle rate invalidity allowance, (c) lower rate invalidity allowance and (d) no invalidity allowance; and what would be the weekly gain to an invalidity pensioner in each of these categories as a result of making good the 5 per cent. abatement of invalidity allowance in the November 1981 uprating.

§ Mrs. Chalker
Of the average numbers receiving invalidity pension at any one time—630,000—the numbers receiving invalidity allowance are estimated as follows:

Numbers Per cent.

Higher rate allowance 185,000 30

Middle rate allowance 135,000 20

Lower rate allowance 215,000 35

No allowance 95,000 15

The higher, middle and lower rates of invalidity allowance are, respectively, 25p, 20p and 10p above what they would have been if the 5 per cent. abatement had continued.

§ Mr. Alfred Morris
asked the Secretary of State for Social Services, at the latest date for which figures are available, how many and what proportion of invalidity pensioners were in receipt of supplementary benefit.
280W

§ Mr. Hugh Rossi
(a) £10 million; (b) £2 million.

Invalidity Pension	(a) Total Benefit after November 1981 £	(b) Value of 1979 benefit at November 1981^* £	(c) Difference between (a) and (b) £	(d) Percentage drop in Value
Claimant only	28.35	29.60	1.25	4.2
Claimant and wife	45.35	47.39	2.04	4.3
Claimant, wife and 1 child	58.30	61.49	3.19	5.2
Claimant, wife and 2 children	71.25	75.59	4.34	5.7
Claimant, wife and 3 children	84.20	89.70	5.50	6.1
^*This is calculated by increasing the November 1979 benefit rate by 15.5 per cent., the rate of inflation between November 1979 and November 1980—and then by 10 per cent.—the estimated rate of inflation between November 1980 and November 1981.

	Numbers	Per cent.
Higher rate allowance	185,000	30
Middle rate allowance	135,000	20
Lower rate allowance	215,000	35
No allowance	95,000	15