§ Mr. WillettsTo ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions in which month new claims to child dependency increases in each of the non-means tested benefits will be abolished for new claimants; and how many families in each subsequent year are expected to be affected by the change. [100797]
§ Malcolm WicksChild dependency increases (CDIs) in Incapacity Benefit, Invalid Care Allowance, Retirement Pension, Severe Disablement Allowance, Widowed Mother's Allowance and Widowed Parent's Allowance will be abolished for new claimants in April 2003. It is estimated that around 211,000 families currently claim a CDI in these benefits.
There were around 20,000 new claims to CDIs in Incapacity Benefit, Severe Disablement Allowance and Invalid Care Allowance in both 2000–01 and 2001–02. Figures for Retirement Pension, Widowed Mother's Allowance and Widowed Parent's Allowance are not available.
From April, families on these benefits will be eligible to-receive the Child Tax Credit—regardless of whether or not they are in receipt of a CDI. Many will become eligible for income-related support for the first time, meaning that 85 per cent. CDI recipients would gain from the introduction of CTC even if existing entitlements were not preserved.