§ Mr. Meacherasked the Secretary of State for Social Services how the Supplementary Benefits Commission calculates the allowance made for repairs and insurance in the case of a supplementary benefit claimant.
§ Mr. DeanThe allowance in England and Wales is £10 a year for houses with a rateable value of £55 or less. For houses with rateable values of over £55 up to £80 the allowance is £10 plus onefifth of the excess on £55; and if the rateable value of the house is over £80 the allowance is £15 plus one-eighth of the excess. Comparable allowances are paid in Scotland. Where essential repairs, costing more than the sum allowed, need to be carried out a larger allowance, usually in the form of a lump sum, can often be made.