§ 36. Mrs. Haymanasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if any cash benefits administered by her Department are now worth less in real terms than when they were introduced; whether she will give details of any such benefits; and by how much their value has declined since their introduction.
§ Mr. O'MalleyOn the basis of the increases in the retail price index up to October 1975—the latest date for which figures are available—all social security benefits, with the exception of age addition and death grant, are currently worth more in real terms than when they were introduced. The real value of age addition has decreased by 43.1 per cent. since it was introduced in September 1971, and that of death grant by 65.8 per cent. since its introduction in July 1949.