§ 61. Mr. Gwilym Robertsasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what study she has made of the problems of elderly people in local authority residential homes whose pocket money is remaining fairly static at £2.30 per week, while the Christmas bonus has been dropped.
§ Mr. MeacherThe personal allowance to residents in local authority homes is increased each time national insurance benefits are raised. Regulations will shortly be laid before the House providing for the sum to be increased to £2.65 a week, with effect from 17th November 1975. Thus, residents, in common with other elderly people, although not receiving a Christmas bonus will benefit from the second uprating in their pensions this year.
183WThe allowance is over and above the cost of providing all living expenses, care and attention and many other facilities. Information obtained by my Department informally from local authorities and other sources suggests that, in general, and taking these factors into account, the position of residents generally compares well with that of their counterparts living elsewhere in the community.