HC Deb 29 June 1971 vol 820 cc80-1W
Mr. Meacher

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many elderly mentally infirm persons are estimated to be currently living in private households in the community; and how many of these he estimates will be eligible for the constant attendance allowance.

Mr. Dean

Information is not available to enable estimates to be made in the form requested, but the following estimates have been made from information given by the Social Survey Division of the Office of Population Censuses and Surveys in their publication, "Handicapped and Impaired in Great Britain":

PEOPLE AGED 65 AND OVER LIVING IN PRIVATE HOUSEHOLDS
Main cause of impairment All categories of handicap Categories 1and 2 (very severe)
Mental, psycho-neurotic and personality dis-orders 35,000 400
Senility 105,000 3,900

People in categories 1 and 2 very broadly correspond with those expected to qualify for the new attendance allowance.

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