Community Care Grant (Hansard, 19 November 1992)

§ Mr. Hinchliffe
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will amend community care grant regulations to extend claimant rights to those in local authority establishments, including mental rehabilitation units.

§ Mr. Scott
No. There is no need to amend the social fund legislation because people who are receiving income support and who leave the establishments mentioned are already eligible for community care grants, which are discretionary, and each case is decided by a social fund officer on its own merits.

§ Mr. Hinchliffe
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will amend community care grant regulations to include low-income groups, other than income support recipients, such as invalidity benefit recipients and pensioners.
370W

§ Mr. Scott
No. The current income support rule focuses the available resources on those most in need of this type of assistance. The rule is clear and simple to understand and has always been used in this type of scheme.