§ Mr. Brothertonasked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether it is the case that new employees who have just entered employment and who are paid in arrears can claim supplementary benefits for the period in which they are working but without wages; if so, whether they are required to repay the Department for the amount made available; for how many weeks such benefits are payable; and whether such benefits are related to the expected income of the new employee.
§ Mr. OrmeA supplementary benefit recipient who starts a new job is entitled to continue receiving supplementary benefit during the first 15 days of full-time employment if he is not in receipt of wages—for example, because the employer keeps a week's wages in hand. If the employment is monthly paid and no advance of wages is available after the first two weeks, supplementary benefit can be continued, if there is urgent need for it, until the monthly salary is received. The amount of benefit is related to the needs of the claimant, not the prospective504W salary, but a claimant can be required to repay any benefit awarded after the first two weeks of employment.