§ Mr. Gouldasked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many people are better off financially as a result of having claimed (a) non-contributory invalidity pension, (b) invalid care allowance and (c) child interim benefit.
§ Mr. OrmeOne of the main purposes of non-contributory invalidity pension and invalid care allowance is to reduce the extent of reliance on means-tested benefits. But even full contributory benefits may, according to the individual's circumstances, require supplementation; and it is not possible to guarantee that the noncontributory benefits will mean a net gain in cash terms. The information for which my hon. Friend has asked which is available is as follows:
- (a) It is estimated that out of the 120,000 people who had claimed noncontributory invalidity pension by 20th November 1975, when it first became payable, about 74,000 people received more in social security benefits than they otherwise would have done. This includes 56,000 long-stay patients in mental hospitals who had previously received only discretionary allowances for personal requirements from hospital funds. Up to June 1976, the number of claims to non-contributory invalidity pension had in fact reached 129,000; but information about the net effect for successful claimants since November 1975 is not available.
- (b) Invalid care allowance beneficiaries are credited with class 1 national insurance contributions, which have not hitherto been available to them, and which will help to maintain entitlement to subsequent contributory benefits. No information is available to show how many people who have claimed invalid care allowance have received an immediate net cash gain from doing so.
- (c) At the latest date for which information is available, about 200,000 lone parents had awards of child interim benefit from which they stand to gain.