§ Ms. ShortTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if claimants recovering from ill-health and in receipt of an income support disability premium lose their disability premium if they take up a place in the employment training scheme.
§ Mr. ScottIt is our intention that the disability premium remains in payment during employment training. The Income Support (General) Regulations do not quite achieve that intention for all claimants. Those who are not blind or do not have a qualifying benefit or an invalid carriage do not at present retain the premium. The regulations will therefore be amended shortly so that no one loses the disability premium during employment training.
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§ Ms. ShortTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if, in light of the recent regulations abolishing the £250 limit on charitable gifts received by income support claimants, the limit on the amount that can be paid to employment training scheme trainees as a terminal bonus is to be abolished.
§ Mr. Peter LloydRegulations abolishing the £250 limit on charitable or voluntary payments which are not paid or which are not due to be paid, regularly have yet to be laid before Parliament. The first £200 of any terminal bonus paid to someone participating in employment training is disregarded under a separate provision and we have no plans to alter that amount. Any additional bonus, which is not paid in respect of any specified period, at present counts towards the £250 limit mentioned; we propose that in future it will be treated as capital.
§ Ms. ShortTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many claims have been made to his Department by 16 and 17-year-olds for payment of income support under the severe hardship regulations since September; how many have been accepted and rejected; and if he will make a statement on the grounds on which he has granted those claims for income support which have been successful.
§ Mr. Peter LloydIn the seven weeks since the withdrawal of general entitlement to income support from 16 and 17-year-olds on 12 September 1988, 835 applications for a direction by the Secretary of State to award benefit under the "severe hardship" provision were received. Of these 545 (65 per cent.) resulted in a direction being given and 290 (35 per cent.) resulted in a direction being refused. Most directions were in respect of young people living in commercial board and lodging establishmets or in hostels who faced eviction if the accommodation charge was not paid in full when it fell due.
Each application is dealt with on its merits having regard to such factors as the young person's health and vulnerability, the availability of any income or savings, the prospects of speedy entry into the youth training scheme, the availability of casual work, the possibility of help from friends or relatives and the extent and pressing nature of any financial commitments.