§ Mrs. Renée Shortasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will change the rules to ensure that social security benefits are continued to be paid until cohabitation is proved by an appeal decision.
§ Mrs. ChalkerIt would not be justifiable to provide for an exception to the general rule that benefit ceases once the independent adjudicating authorities of first instance—insurance officers or benefit officers—have decided that there is no entitlement. Decisions on living together as husband and wife are always given by senior and experienced officers and only after careful 31W investigation and consideration. If there are children in the household of whom the man is not the father, a temporary allowance of supplementary benefit may be paid to cushion the family against the abrupt reduction in their income. Additionally, an allowance may be paid to bring the family income up to the supplementary benefit level if this is necessary.
§ Mrs. Renee Shortasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what definition of the term "cohabitation" for social security purposes is used by his Department.
§ Mrs. ChalkerWe no longer use the term "cohabitation", but instead refer to "living together as husband and wife". This expression is not defined in social security legislation; the decision in each case is whether the relationship between the man and the woman is such that they must be regarded as living together as husband and wife in the ordinary sense of the expression. For supplementary benefit purposes, the main criteria are set out in detail in paragraph 2.12 of the "Supplementary Benefit Handbook".