§ Mr. Andrew TurnerTo ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will list all linked benefits available automatically to those entitled to certain means-tested benefits, stating the qualifications for entitlement. [35219]
§ Malcolm Wicks[holding answer 11 February 2002]: People who receive either income support or income-based jobseeker's allowance are entitled to apply for the following additional benefits.
Free milk and vitamins are available to people who are pregnant or who have a child under 5 years. Where a person has dependant children in full-time education they are entitled to free school meals. People who have savings of less than £8,000, or £12,000 if aged 60 or over, are entitled to free national health service (NHS) prescriptions, dental treatment, wigs, fabric supports, sight tests, money-off vouchers for glasses and help with the cost of travel to hospital for NHS treatment.
For those people who have a close relative or partner in prison help with the cost of travel to visit them is available. Assistance can also be given to someone who is not a close relative or partner where they are the only adult visitor.
In addition, pensioners, disabled people and families with young children receiving income support or income-based jobseeker's allowance qualify for cold weather payments. These payments are made automatically if the average temperature at a specified meteorological weather station has been recorded, or is forecast to be, zero degrees celsius or below over seven consecutive days.
A variety of local government schemes and benefits are also available to people on low incomes. Details of these schemes are not collected centrally.
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