HC Deb 27 January 1993 vol 217 cc755-6W
Mr. Battle

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what extra money is to be given from April 1993 to those who currently receive the terminal-illness level of income support and are cared for by registered private nursing homes.

Mr. Burt

The income support personal expenses allowance will be uprated by the Rossi index (retail prices index less certain housing costs.) In addition £1 million has been transferred from the Social Security budget to the Department of Health for 1993–94 to ensure that additional funds are directed specifically to terminally ill people in hospices. This is in addition to the £1 million transferred for each of the years 1992–93 to 1994–95.

From April 1993, under the community care scheme, all new residents of nursing homes who need public support will have their needs assessed by the local authority who will contract with individual homes for their fees.