§ Mr. HayesTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is the estimated cost of converting the 25p per week age allowance to pensioners on their 80th birthday into an annual £13 lump sum payment; and if he will make a statement. [21020]
§ Mr. HealdThe cost to the national insurance fund of converting the 25p per week age allowance to pensioners on their 80th birthday into an annual £13 lump sum payment is estimated to be £2 million per annum.
If the lump sum payment is not treated as weekly income for the purposes of calculating entitlement to income-related benefits, it is estimated that there could be income-related benefit costs of £9 million per annum.
Source: Government Actuary.
18W
Number Appeals lodged against AWT decision 26,506 Appeals heard 3,275 Appeals found in favour of claimant. 1,494 Percentage of appeals heard found in claimant's favour 45.6
§ Mr. BradleyTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what estimate he has made of the savings to his Department from the introduction of incapacity benefit. [20181]
§ Mr. BurtI refer the hon. Member to the reply that I gave to the hon. Member for Caernarfon (Mr. Wigley) on 26 January 1996,Official Report, column 274.