§ Mr. Pikeasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will list by counties in England, social security payments and any other national financial support to private old people's and nursing homes for 1979 and subsequent years.
§ Dr. Boyson[pursuant to his reply, 8 February, c. 672]: Social security benefits are payable to individual residents rather than to owners of homes.
The benefit payable to those who are unable to meet the home's charge by other means is supplementary benefit. Information on the total amount of supplementary benefit paid in such cases is not available in the form requested, but the number of residents in private and voluntary residential care and nursing homes in England in receipt of supplementary pension to meet their charges, and the average amounts of benefit in payment for the period from 1979, are as follows:
Number of residents* Average amount of benefit in payment† £
1979 9,000 18.89 1980 11,000 29.33 1981 11,000 36.69 1982 13,000 47.98 Source: Annual Statistical Inquiry. * This excludes residents sponsored by local authorities and residents supported by health authorities under contractual arrangements. † The amount of benefit paid includes an amount to cover personal expenses and is net of any resources such as retirement pension which fall to be taken into account in assessing the claimant's entitlement. Information for 1983 is not yet available.
There is no other direct national financial support for private residential care and nursing homes for the elderly.