§ Mr. Onslowasked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance how many late claims for sickness benefit have been received during the latest convenient 12-months period; how many of these claims were found to be due to ignorance of the requirements of the regulations; how many of these claims were taken to appeal; and what estimate is available of the total cost of these appeals.
§ Mr. PentlandIt is regretted that the information asked for by the hon. Gentleman is not available. The time limit for claims was, of course, extended last autumn from three to six days and it was estimated from tests carried out in October, 1962, as a preliminary to the change that, of the nine million claims to sickness benefit made in a year, the 450,000 which were late under the old limit would be reduced to 100,000 under the new. It is not possible to estimate how many of the 100,000 would succeed because there is good cause for lateness or how many would fail because of 185W ignorance of the requirements of the regulations or for some other reason. The only other information available which may be helpful is that during 1963, i.e., before the easement in the time limit, there were 144 appeals to the National Insurance Commissioner against disqualification for lateness, of which 62 were allowed.