§ Mr. Alfred Morrisasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what number and proportion of reviews of attendance allowance awards initiated by him in 1984 followed notification of a change in circumstances by the claimant.
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§ Mr. NewtonNone. Notification of change of circumstances by the claimant is treated as an application for review by the claimant.
§ Mr. Alfred Morrisasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the average length of time between receipt of a claim for attendance allowance and the issue of an order book (a) when the allowance is awarded on the initial application and (b) when it is awarded after a review.
§ Mr. NewtonAt 28 February, the latest date for which information is available, the times taken for payment to be sent to the claimant were(a) 10 weeks, (b) 18 weeks.
§ Mr. Alfred Morrisasked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) if he will list the number of applications for renewal of attendance allowance in 1984 nationally and in each social security region; and in each case what proportion and number (a) were awarded (i) the higher rate and (ii) the lower rate on the initial application, (b) requested a review after (i) refusal of the allowance and (ii) award of the lower rate and (c) upon review were (i) awarded the lower rate and (ii) awarded the higher rate, (iii) had the lower rate increased to the higher rate and (iv) had the lower rate withdrawn;
Table 1 Attendance allowance—initial decisions 1984 Region Number of decisions Higher rate awards Lower rate awards Number Per cent. Number Per cent. January to March Northern 2,225 556 25.0 983 44.2 Yorkshire and Humberside 5,532 1,523 27.6 2,691 48.6 East Midlands and East Anglia 4,186 1,183 28.3 2,001 47.8 London North 6,908 1,886 27.3 3,453 50.0 London South 9,057 3,446 38.0 4,723 52.1 London West 77 35 45.5 34 44.1 South Western 5,195 1,701 32.7 2,674 51.5 West Midlands 7,762 1,655 21.3 4,075 52.5 North West (Manchester) 5,879 1,181 20.1 3,093 52.6 North West (Merseyside) 4,376 1,814 41.4 1,867 42.7 Scotland 6,208 1,198 19.3 2,412 38.9 Wales 6,216 2,489 40.0 2,409 38.8 April to December* Northern 4,570 1,174 25.7 2,325 50.9 Yorkshire and Humberside 22,753 5,653 24.8 10,048 44.2 East Midlands 3,669 1,007 27.4 1,928 52.6 East Anglia 1,477 427 28.9 792 53.6 South East (GLC) 11,904 3,954 33.2 5,714 48.0 South East (Remainder) 36,257 11,220 30.9 18,405 50.8 South West 13,828 4,061 29.4 7,116 51.4 West Midlands 25,877 7,159 27.7 12,776 23.0 North West 24,171 6,651 27.5 12,118 50.1 Scotland 17,092 3,333 19.5 6,936 40.6 Wales 14,585 4,139 28.4 5,752 39.4 * Since April 1984 statistics have been collected by reference to standard regions. 172W
Table 2 Attendance allowance—renewal decisions 1984 Region Number of decisions Higher rate awards Lower rate awards Number Per cent. Number Per cent. North Eastern 2,646 874 33.0 1,301 49.2 Midlands 4,614 1,735 37.6 2,200 47.7 London North 3,215 1,060 33.0 1,752 54.5 London South 3,328 1,333 40.1 1,541 46.3 South West 1,224 473 38.6 578 47.2 North West (Manchester) 1,283 502 39.1 597 46.5 North West (Merseyside) 1,736 694 40.0 783 45.1 (2) if he will list the number of applicants for attendance allowance in 1984, nationally and in each social security region; and in each case what number and proportion (a) were awarded (i) the higher rate and (ii) the lower rate on the initial application, (b) requested a review after (i) refusal of the allowance and (ii) award of the lower rate and (c) upon review were (i) awarded the lower rate, (ii) awarded the higher rate, (iii) had the lower rate increased to the higher rate and (iv) had the lower rate withdrawn;
(3) if he will list the number of awards of attendance allowance which were made in 1984 nationally and in each social security region; and if he will break down the national figure by the length of time for which they were made.
§ Mr. NewtonThe information available is as follows. It relates to decisions given in 1984, not to applications made in that year. For Great Britain, the total number of decisions made was 239,774 of which 67,445 (28.1 per cent.) resulted in a higher rate award; 114,325 (47.7 per cent.) resulted in a lower rate award. A regional breakdown is given in the tables.
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Region Number of decisions Higher rate awards Lower rate awards Number Per cent. Number Per cent. Scotland 1,515 409 27.0 708 46.7 Wales 1,640 710 43.3 686 41.8 North Fylde Central Office 29,909 10,332 34.5 19,577 65.5 Great Britain 51,110 18,122 35.5 29,723 58.2
Table 3 Attendance allowance—reviews 1984* Requests for review† Result of review After refusal of award After award≑ Awards made¶ after disallowance Award increased from lower to higher rate Award reduced● or withdrawn Region‡ Number Percentage of all decisions▀ Number Percentage of all decisions▀ Number Percentage of all decisions▀ Number Percentage of all decisions▀ Number Percentage of all decisions▀ Northern⋆ 139 0.4 115 0.3 49 0.2 55 0.2 6 — North Eastern 1,613 4.8 2,844 8.5 917 2.7 2,227 6.7 121 0.4 East Midlands# 610 1.8 1,036 3.1 319 1.0 756 2.3 70 0.2 London North 1,445 4.3 2,634 7.9 963 2.9 2,077 6.2 128 0.4 London South 862 2.6 3,268 9.8 511 1.5 2,537 7.6 158 0.5 London West⋆ 4 — 35 0.1 2 — 27 — 2 — South West 587 1.8 2,053 6.2 359 1.1 1,692 5.1 81 0.2 Midlands 1,244 3.7 2,681 8.0 676 2.0 1,949 5.8 138 0.4 North West (Manchester) 1,053 3.2 1,679 5.0 530 1.6 1,300 3.9 61 0.2 Merseyside 753 2.3 1,658 5.0 410 1.2 1,351 4.0 51 0.2 Scotland 2,110 6.3 2,014 6.0 1,129 3.4 1,365 4.1 67 0.2 Wales 1,256 3.8 1,681 5.0 674 2.0 1,309 3.9 62 0.2 Great Britain 11,676 35.0 21,698 65.0 6,539 19.6 16,645 49.9 945 2.8 * It is not possible to distinguish between reviews on initial claims and reviews on renewal claims. † Details are of reviews because of dissatisfaction with the award or because of a change in the need for attention or supervision. ‡ Comparisons cannot readily be made because of changes in social security regions. ≑ It is not possible to provide separate figures for lower rate awards. ¶ It is not possible to distinguish between lower and higher rate awards. ● It is not possible to distinguish between reviews which led to withdrawal from those which resulted in a lower rate. ▀ These percentages are overstated to an extent because some decisions on renewal claims are taken at North Fylde central office (see table 2). ⋆ Till June 1984. # Till September 1984.
Table 4 Attendance allowance awards (new and renewal claims) 1984 Duration of awards (years) Number Fewer than one 1,930 One fewer than two 20,286 Two fewer than three 26,104 Three fewer than four 9,134 Four fewer than five 4,268 Five and over 15,178 Life* 163,858 Total 240,758 * Includes certificates awarded to children up to 16th birthday.
§ Mr. Alfred Morrisasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will list the number of people in receipt of attendance allowance at each rate at 31 December 1984; and if he will break down the figures by (a) social security region, (b) the rate per 1,000 population in each region and (c) the rate per 1,000 of population over 65 years of age in each region.
§ Mr. NewtonThe total number of people estimated to be in receipt of attendance allowance at 31 March 1984, the latest date for which figures are available, is as follows:174W
Number Higher rate 192,000 Lower rate 277,000 The analysis requested will take a few weeks to prepare. I shall reply as soon as it is ready.
§ Mr. Alfred Morrisasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will list the number of reviews of attendance allowance during the currency of an award in 1984, nationally and in each social security region, which were instituted (a) by him and (b) by the claimant; and in case what was the number and proportion in which (i) the 175W allowance was withdrawn, (ii) the existing award was retained, (iii) the higher rate was decreased to the lower rate and (iv) the lower rate was increased to the higher rate.
Attendance allowance 1984 Region† Total number of reviews after award Award reduced or withdrawn‡ Award maintained Award increased from lower to higher rate Number Per cent. Number Per cent. Number Per cent. Northern≑ 115 6 5.2 54 47.0 55 47.8 North Eastern 2,844 121 4.2 496 17.5 2,227 78.3 East Midlands¶ 1,036 70 6.8 210 20.2 756 73.0 London North 2,634 128 4.9 429 16.3 2,077 78.8 London West≑ 35 2 5.7 6 17.1 27 77.2 South West 2,053 81 3.9 280 13.7 1,692 82.4 Midlands 2,681 138 5.1 594 22.2 1,949 72.7 North West Manchester 1,679 61 3.6 318 19.0 1,300 77.4 North West Merseyside 1,658 51 3.1 256 15.4 1,351 81.5 London South 3,268 158 4.8 573 17.5 2,537 77.6 Wales 1,681 62 3.7 310 18.4 1,309 77.9 Scotland 2,014 67 3.3 582 28.9 1,365 67.8 Great Britain 21,698 945 4.3 4,108 19.0 16,645 76.7 * Includes reviews because of dissatisfaction with the award and because of a change in the need for attention and supervision. † Comparisons cannot readily be made because of changes in social security regions. ‡ It is not possible to distinguish between reviews which led to the withdrawal of the allowance and those which resulted in a lower rate. ≑ To 29 June. ¶ To 29 September (no decisions made in these regions after these dates).
Attendance allowance 1984 Reviews instituted at request of Secretary of State after award Great Britain* Number Per cent. Total number of reviews after award 850 Award withdrawn 318 37 Award maintained 428 51 Award reduced from higher to lower rate 72 8 Award increased from lower to higher rate 32 4 * It is not possible to provide a breakdown by social security region.
§ Mr. Alfred Morrisasked the Secretary of State for Social Services for the last three years for which figures are available what was the number and proportion of reviews of attendance allowance decisions with an outcome favourable to the appellant in which the award was backdated to the date from which it would have been payable had the initial claim succeeded.
§ Mr. NewtonThe numbers of reviews of attendance allowance made because the claimant was dissatisfied with the original decision, and which had an outcome favourable to the claimant, are as follows:
Numbers 1982 6,978 1983 8,085 1984 9,116 Backdating applied in all these cases.
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1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 Initial claims received in each year 147,000 167,000 193,000 233,000 258,000 Total decisions made in each year on initial claims 139,000 149,000 182,000 217,000 240,000 Total decisions resulting in initial disallowance 40,000 41,000 46,000 58,000 58,000
§ Mr. NewtonThe information available is in the table. It relates to decisions given in 1984 and not to applications made in that year.
§ Mr. Alfred Morrisasked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many people requested a review of an attendance allowance decision on the grounds that (a) the first decision was wrong and (b) their condition had deteriorated.
§ Mr. NewtonIn 1984 the numbers were(a) 15,175 (b) 16,838.
§ Mr. Clayasked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many claims have been made for attendance allowance; of these, how many claims for attendance allowance have been rejected; how many appeals to local tribunals against decisions to reject payment of attendance allowance have been made; and how many of these appeals have been found in favour of the claimant in each of the social security regions in each of the past five years.
§ Mr. NewtonInformation on claims and decisions unfavourable to the claimant is as follows:
177WDetails of appeals and references to local tribunals against disallowance of the non-medical conditions for attendance allowance in the years to 1983 are given in "Social Security Statistics 1984," table 14.20. It is not possible to break down the information into social security regions.
Equivalent details for 1984 are not yet available.