HC Deb 09 June 1975 vol 893 cc100-1W
Sir George Young

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if she will set out in the Official Report those benefits payable by her Department on account of children, showing how these benefits vary according to their age.

Mr. O'Malley

The benefits are as follows: Family allowances, guardian's allowance, child's special allowance, allowances for children of deceased's family—where death was due to industrial injury or disease;

Increases on account of children in unemployment, sickness or injury benefit, maternity allowance, invalidity pension or unemployability supplement, widow's allowance, widowed mother's allowance, retirement pension other than certain over 80's pension, supplementary benefit;

Family income supplement;

War pensions—orphan's pensions, increases of war disablement pension, unemployability supplement, widow's allowances.

The rates do not vary according to the age of the child, except for the supplementary benefit rates which are as follows:

Child's age Weekly Rate
Under 5 £2.75
5 to 10 £3.30
11 to 12 £4.05
13 to 15 £4.95
16 or 17 £5.90
18 or over £7.65

Increases of supplementary benefit on account of children generally cease when a child aged 16 or over leaves school, and benefits under the Family Allowances and Social Security Acts when the child leaves school or attains age 19. War pensions allowances for children cease at age 16— age 18 where the ex-Service man was an officer—except where the child is a student or an apprentice or is incapable of self support by reason of an infirmity suffered before attaining the age limit.