§ Mr. Johnasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will estimate the number of people who will lose entitlement (a) to supplementary pensions and (b) to supplementary allowances as a result of changes in the available scale margin in November.
§ Dr. Boyson[pursuant to his reply, 21 June 1984, c. 242]: We estimate that about 100,000 people who at present receive a small amount of supplementary pension will cease to be entitled to it as a result of the proposed changes to the available scale margin. The number of people who will cease to qualify for supplementary allowance as a result of these changes is too small for a reliable estimate to be made. All those concerned in both groups will nevertheless gain in cash terms from the uprating in November.
§ Mr. Andrew Bowdenasked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many pensioners will be floated off supplementary benefit following the uprating in November 1984.
§ Dr. Boyson[pursuant to his reply, 25 June 1984, c. 354]: About 125,000 people who at present receive a small amount of supplementary pension will cease to be entitled to it following the uprating in November. All those concerned will nevertheless gain in cash terms from the uprating.
§ Mr. Carter-Jonesasked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) what is his estimate of the numbers of people who will cease to qualify for supplementary benefit as a result of the difference in upratings between insurance benefits and supplementary benefits in November 1984; what is his estimate of the extra cost to local authorities of processing applicants transferred to standard housing benefit and subsequently to housing benefit supplement; and if he will make a statement;
(2) what is his estimate of the number of people who will cease to be entitled to supplementary benefit as a result of the decision to subtract £1 from additional payments for heating; what is his estimate of the extra cost to local authorities of processing subsequent applications for standard housing benefit and housing benefit supplement; and if he will make a statement.
§ Dr. Boyson[pursuant to his reply, 12 July 1984]: We estimate that about 20,000 people who at present receive a small amount of supplementary benefit would cease to be entitled to it solely as a result of the difference in the uprating factors applicable to national insurance benefits and supplementary benefit respectively, and about 90,000 would cease to be entitled solely as a result of the proposal to apply the available scale margin to heating additions. About 10,000 would cease to qualify for supplementary benefit for either reason and are included in both figures. All those concerned will nevertheless gain in cash terms from the uprating in November. It is not possible to give an overall estimate for the net transitional cost of transferring claimants from certificated to standard housing benefit where this would be applicable.