§ Mr. Alan HowarthTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many claimants of(a) the disability living allowance care component and (b) attendance allowance have had their benefits suspended during a period in hospital and residential care during each of the last two years. [34782]
§ Mr. Andrew MitchellThis is a matter for Peter Mathison, chief executive of the Benefits Agency. He will write to the hon. Member.
Letter from Peter Mathison to Mr. Alan Howarth, dated 1 July 1996:
The Secretary of State for Social Security has asked me to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question asking how many claimants of (a) the Disability Living Allowance (DLA) care component and (b) Attendance Allowance (AA) have had their benefits suspended during a period in hospital and residential care during each of the last two years.The information requested is not available in the format requested.It is only possible to provide the number of suspensions for DLA care component at any one point in time. As at 31 May 1996 there have been 31,100 suspensions due to period spent in hospital or residential care.Data is not held centrally for AA as the majority of cases are paid combined with another benefit by the District Offices. The information, therefore, could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.I hope you find this reply helpful.
§ Mr. HowarthTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many claimants of the disability living allowance care component and attendance allowance have been overpaid benefit as a result of a stay in hospital or residential care during each of the past two years; in how many cases this overpayment was recoverable; and where an overpayment was recoverable, what was the total value of benefits overpaid. [34783]
§ Mr. MitchellThis is a matter for Peter Mathison, chief executive of the Benefits Agency. He will write to the hon. Member.
Letter from Peter Mathison to Mr. Alan Howarth, dated 1 July 1996:
415WThe Secretary of State for Social Security has asked me to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question asking has any claimants of the Disability Living Allowance (DLA) care component and Attendance Allowance (AA) have been overpaid benefit as a result of a stay in hospital or residential care during each of the past two years; in how many cases this overpayment was recoverable; and where an overpayment was recoverable, what was the total value of benefits overpaid.The information is not available in the format requested.Figures for DLA overpayments due to a period of hospitalisation or residential care prior to July 1995 can be obtained only at disproportionate cost. As a result of an enhancement to the computer system, figures are available from July 1995.The figures below are from 1 July 1995 to 29 February 1996.
Number of overpayments Number recoverable Value of recoverable overpayments (£) Hospitalisation 2,715 1,704 455,049.01 Residential care 1,445 577 424,383.04 Total 4,160 2,281 879,432.05 Figures are provisional and subject to amendment. Figures for AA overpayments due to a period of hospitalisation or residential care prior to April 1996 can be obtained only at disproportionate cost. As a result of an enhancement to the computer system, figures are available from April 1996.
The figures in the table are from 1 April 1996 to 26 June 1996.
Number of overpayments Number recoverable Value of recoverable overpayments (£) Hospitalisation 763 437 95,463.73 Residential care 604 315 146,045.97 Total 1,367 752 241,509.70 Figures are provisional and subject to amendment.
I hope you find this reply helpful.
§ Mr. HowarthTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security on what basis he has issued letters and a leaflet to claimants of the disability living allowance mobility component concerning details of recent periods in hospital in advance of Parliament's decision on the Social Security (Disability Living Allowance and Claims and Payments) Amendment Regulations 1996; and if he will make a statement. [34781]
§ Mr. MitchellThis is a matter for Peter Mathison of the Benefits Agency. He will write to the hon. Member.
Letter from Peter Mathison to Mr. Alan Howarth, dated 1 July 1996:
The Secretary of State for Social Security has asked me to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question asking on what basis he has issued letters and a leaflet to claimants of the Disability Living Allowance mobility component concerning details of recent periods in hospital in advance of Parliament's decision on the Social Security (Disability Living Allowance and Claims and Payments) Amendments regulations 1996; and if he will make a statement.The Regulations in question are subject to negative resolution procedure. They were made on 4 June 1996 and laid before Parliament on 7 June 1996. The letters and leaflets in question were not issued to customers until 15 June 1996.I hope you find this reply helpful.