§ Mr. PendryTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) whether he has any plans to bring forward proposals to repeal or amend(a) section 22(3) and (b) section 22(4) of the Social Security Act 1986; and if he will make a statement;
(2) if he has any plans to repeal or amend paragraph 13, schedule 2, of the Income Support (General) Regulations 1987 (SI 1967); and if he will make a statement.
§ Mrs. Gillian ShephardThe legislation concerned provides for the severe disability premium (currently £28.20 a week) in the calculation of income support, housing benefit and community charge benefit. This premium is intended for people who are in receipt of attendance allowance who live alone in the community, or who live with other people on a commercial basis, and provided invalid care allowance is not in payment for their care. We have no plans to change this policy.
§ Mr. Richard ShepherdTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many of the families who will benefit from the recently announced £1 a week increase in child allowance are presently in receipt of income support; whether the increase will be disregarded in assessment for income support; and what would be the cost if the increase were to be so disregarded.
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April 19901 Equivalents of SSP rates in April 1983 expressed as a percentage of male average earnings2 SSP Rates Average real value of benefit at April 1990 over the period Equivalent value at April 1990 prices at date of uprating As percentage male average earnings (gross) Apr 1983 Apr 1990 April 1983 to March 1984 Apr 1983 Apr 1990 £. d £. d £. d £. d per cent. per cent. Lower rate 27.20 39.25 39.56 40.37 16.5 13.3 Middle rate3 33.75 — 49.09 50.09 20.5 — Standard rate 40.25 52.50 58.54 59.74 24.4 17.8
§ Mrs. Gillian ShephardIt is estimated that about 1.2 million families on income support will receive the £1 increase in child benefit for the only, elder or eldest eligible child. The payment of this additional amount will be taken into account for income support purposes in the normal way. It is estimated that if it were to be disregarded in the assessment for income support the benefit cost would be approximately £65 million a year.
The income support rates will be increased from next April which will help many families with children.
§ Mr. PendryTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security whether he has any plans further to amend regulation 3 of the Income Support Regulations 1987 (SI 1967); and if he will make a statement.
§ Mrs. Gillian ShephardWe have no current plans to do so.