HC Deb 22 October 1990 vol 178 cc75-6W
Mr. Kirkwood

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will examine whether there are delays in income support payments to hostel dwellers; and if he will make a statement.

Mrs. Gillian Shephard

Arrangements for paying benefit to hostel dwellers were kept under close scrutiny following the October 1989 changes which removed from them the special board and lodging rate of income support, and this continues as part of the Department's general monitoring activity. Where problems have arisen and where central action could help, that action has been taken: for example, the restoration of the facility for certain income support payments to be made directly to hostels.

Mr. Kirkwood

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security whether he will take steps to allocate responsibility for paying for care costs in hostels; and if he will make a statement.

Mrs. Gillian Shephard

Since October 1989 people in hostels, like people in other types of rented accommodation, have been able to claim income support specifically to help with day-to-day living expenses. From the same date help with accommodation costs has been available through housing benefit. These arrangements replaced the old income support special board and lodging rate for hostel dwellers, although financial support from social security for existing claimants and the hostel places they occupied has been maintained at the October 1989 level by means of payments to hostels from a central unit in the Department of Social Security.

The money being paid out by the central unit broadly represents payments from social security under the old arrangements towards the cost of the care provided in hostels. It will be transferred to other funding sources from April 1991, as explained in my reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Fulham (Mr. Carrington) on 15 October. Within income support, vulnerable people such as those who are disabled can qualify for a premium in addition to their personal allowance which can of course go towards meeting hostel charges.

Mr. Kirkwood

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will carry out research to establish whether people in hostels need extra benefit; and if he will make a statement.

Mrs. Gillian Shephard

We have no current plans to undertake such research.

Mr. Hinchliffe

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what guidance is given by his Department to local adjudication officers with regard to the payment of income support to temporary residents of unregistered care homes with fewer than four residents who are occupying the bed of a resident away from home on a period of leave.

Mrs. Gillian Shephard

Eligibility to income support is defined by regulations. Independent adjudication officers are provided with guidance on the interpretation of the regulations by the chief adjudication officer, but no specific guidance has been given on this point.

Mr. Kirkwood

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security whether he plans to increase income support for hostel dwellers; and if he will make a statement.

Mrs. Gillian Shephard

Since October 1989 accommodation costs for people in hostels have been met by housing benefit in the same way as they are for people in other types of rented accommodation. Income support provides help for other normal day-to-day living expenses. These and other income-related benefits are reviewed each year and a statement about next year's uprating will be made shortly.