HC Deb 04 July 1989 vol 156 cc140-2W
Mr. Hinchliffe

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if, in view of the concern regarding the handling of residents' moneys by proprietors or staff in private residential or nursing homes, he will review his policy of not making income support payments direct to claimants' bank accounts.

Mr. Peter Lloyd

The facility to have benefit paid directly into a bank account is restricted to beneficiaries paid by computer because a transfer of magnetic tapes is required to effect the payment to the bank. Income support is paid clerically in local social security offices and the direct payment facility cannot be made available at present.

However, it is anticipated that payment of income support will be computerised by the early 1990s and direct payment to bank accounts will then be offered as an option.

Mr. Hinchliffe

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what advice his Department offers to income support claimants who are admitted temporarily to private residential or nursing care in meeting their liability for rates and other charges on their own homes when their personal expenses allowance is used up on meeting their residential costs.

Mr. Peter Lloyd

Income support is available to help temporary and permanent residents of residential care and nursing homes meet the fees. People in homes temporarily can continue to receive housing benefit in respect of their own homes or can claim help with certain other housing costs such as mortgage interest, ground rent and service charges.

Mr. David Hinchliffe

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is his policy regarding the handling of claims for income support from residents of private residential or nursing care where they are required to contribute non-returnable deposits, payments of one month's fees in advance or payments in advance of funeral costs.

Mr. Peter Lloyd

Income support is available to help people in independent residential care homes and nursing homes meet the fees they have to pay on a weekly basis. However, the terms on which people enter homes are a matter between themselves and the home's proprietors.

Benefit is not paid until the claimant is resident in the home but claims for help with fees can be made up to one month in advance. Income support is not available to meet deposits or funeral costs.

Social fund funeral payments are available subject to a capital limit, to people who are responsible, for the cost of a funeral and who are receiving income support, family credit, housing benefit or community charge rebate at the time of claim. They cannot be paid in advance.

Mr. David Hinchliffe

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is his policy regarding the realisation of the sale of the former home of an applicant for income support in private residential care where such a sale would render the resident's previous carer homeless.

Mr. Peter Lloyd

Owners of property should be able to receive the full benefit of the capital invested in their former homes before looking to public funds for their support. However, claimants for income support are not required to realise that property when it is occupied by a partner, or by a relative who is aged 60 or over or is incapacitated. Carers who occupy the claimant's former home in any of these circumstances will gain from these concessions. We are continuing to monitor the effects of this policy.

Mr. David Hinchliffe

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) whether the nearest relatives of income support claimants in private residential or nursing care can refuse requests to top up the claimants' fees for care where the claimants' total income does not meet the full costs of care provided;

(2) which agency is responsible for meeting the difference between the fees for private residential and nursing care and the total income of an income support claimant when their resources fall short of the costs of residence.

Mr. Peter Lloyd

Income support is available to help people in independent homes meet the fees. The level of fees charged in private homes and the way fees are paid are matters wholly between proprietors and residents, or people acting on residents' behalf. Local authorities can meet a shortfall where people under pension age are in residential care homes, and local and health authorities can meet the full cost of care in certain circumstances.