Supplementary Benefit (Hansard, 19 July 1984)

§ Mr. Janner
asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what are the arrangements for claimants whose supplementary benefit girocheques do not arrive on time.

§ Dr. Boyson
Normally, supplementary benefit claimants whose girocheques have not arrived on time are asked to await the next postal delivery. If someone is in urgent need he or she may attend the local office to make a claim. If the local office is closed the home telephone service can be contacted, which should handle such a claim.
The home telephone service is operated by volunteers from the Department's local office staff. The telephone numbers of the home telephone service officers are given to the local police, social services and other responsible organisations.

§ Mr. Janner
asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many supplementary benefit payments are made to claimants in (a) the city of Leicester and (b) the county of Leicestershire on a weekly basis; and of these, how many he estimates are received on time.

§ Dr. Boyson
Supplementary benefit is paid by the Department's local offices and by the Department of Employment (DE) for unemployed claimants. DE generally makes payments on a fortnightly basis. The current figures for those paid weekly by DE are:

Numbers

City of Leicester 870

County of Leicestershire^* 270

^* Excluding the City of Leicester.

The other information requested is not available.

§ Mr. Janner
asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many supplementary benefit girocheques were not received by claimants in (a) the city of Leicester and (b) the county of Leicestershire on Saturday 7 July; and of these, how many were due (i) to a rail delay and (ii) for any other reason.

§ Dr. Boyson
Information is not available as to the number of supplementary benefit girocheques which were due on Saturday 7 July but were not received. The delay in delivery was due to a train derailment at Nuneaton.

§ Mr. Janner
asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what representations he has received from (a) the city of Leicester and (b) the county of Leicestershire about the non-payment of supplementary benefit girocheques for the last 50-week period for which figures are available.

§ Dr. Boyson
The only representation we have received on this issue from the area in question is the letter referred to my right hon. Friend by the hon. and learned Member on 13 July.

	Numbers
City of Leicester	870
County of Leicestershire^*	270
^* Excluding the City of Leicester.