Mr. Mark Hughesasked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether she will make a statement about the progress made by her Department in implementing the uprating of social security 231W benefits due in the week beginning 22nd July.
§ Mrs. CastleI am happy to say that of over 13 million people who are due to receive this largest ever increase in pensions and social security benefits, some 12.8 million will receive them next week when due.
Virtually all those who get their payments from the central offices of my Department at Blackpool and Newcastle will already have had the increase included in their order books, or will have by next week, and more than half those paid from my Department's local offices will also have had their increase.
Unfortunately, some 550,000 beneficiaries will have to wait a little longer. These are some of the large number whose benefits are assessed in the local offices of my Department. However the staff have been putting in a very great deal of extra effort to get the uprating completed and I am confident that for most of the people concerned any delay should not be more than a few weeks. No one will lose if his increase is delayed, as full arrears will be paid later.
I have arranged for those who have to wait to be told by local publicity just what the position will be in their particular area.