Income Support (Hansard, 8 May 1990)

§ Mr. Ashley
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will list the benefits for which he is responsible which are provided free for families whose head of the household is receiving income support.

§ Mrs. Gillian Shephard
Families receiving income support are entitled to maximum help with eligible rent through housing benefit and maximum community charge benefit. They may also get help from the social fund. Such families are also automatically entitled to various other benefits (including exemption from National Health Service charges, free school meals and free welfare milk and vitamins) for which my right hon. Friends in other Departments are responsible.

§ Mr. Frank Field
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what powers Department of Social Security officers have to stop or suspend a claimant's income support if notified by an unemployment benefit office that the claimant is suspected of being voluntarily unemployed, but the adjudication officer's decision is still awaited; and if he will make a statement.

§ Mrs. Gillian Shephard
Under regulation 22 of the Income Support (General) Regulations 1987, as amended, an unemployed person claiming income support, whose claim for unemployment benefit has not been determined because a question of disqualification arises for being voluntarily unemployed, is entitled to income support at a reduced rate only. The reduction, which is applied to the claimant's personal rate of benefit, ensures that he does not receive the same benefit as someone who clearly satisfied all the conditions, but at the same time he is not left without financial support while the question is investigated.

§ Mr. Frank Field
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what powers Department of Social Security officers have to stop or suspend a claimant's income support if notified by the unemployment benefit office that the claimant's (i) actively seeking work or (ii) availability has been called into question but the adjudication officer's decision is still awaited; and if he will make a statement.

§ Mrs. Gillian Shephard
Under section 20 of the Social Security Act 1986, as amended, an unemployed person 87W claiming income support has to be actively seeking employment and available for employment. In specific circumstances he may be treated as fulfilling these conditions. Otherwise, where there is a doubt, normal benefit cannot be paid.
Regulation 8 of the Income Support (General) Regulations 1987, as amended, however, excuses a claimant from these requirements if an adjudication officer is satisfied that he or a member of his family will suffer hardship if income support is not paid. In such a case regulation 22 of the same regulations provides for payment of benefit at a reduced rate.

§ Mr. Frank Field
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, if he will provide information as to the proportion of (i) income support and (ii) unemployment benefit claimants successfully claiming reduced income support under the hardship rules following(a) disqualification or (b) disallowance of benefit; and if he will make a statement.

§ Mrs. Gillian Shephard
A claimant disqualified from receipt of unemployment benefit because of voluntary unemployment can receive income support at a reduced rate without needing to show hardship.
From October 1989 to March 1990 there were 1,860 such awards and 733 refusals. These figures are provisional and are subject to amendment.