§ Mr. D. E. Thomasasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will list what expenses may be disregarded by one-parent families on supplementary benefit on top of the £6 disregard.
§ Mr. DeakinsBefore the £6 disregard is applied to earnings, these are reduced by any statutory deductions from wages such as tax and national insurance contributions and any expenses reasonably incurred in connection with work such as fares and the cost of child minding.
§ Mr. D. E. Thomasasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will write to all one-parent families on supplementary benefit informing them they may earn £6 in a week before losing any supplementary benefit, explaining to them what expenses may be disregarded on top of this £6 and, in particular, that child minding fees may be disregarded.
§ Mr. DeakinsNearly all single parent claimants have been sent a form explaining the increase from £4 to £6 a week 571W in their earnings that can be disregarded in working out entitlement to supplementary benefit and have had their order books amended accordingly. All such claimants earning more than £4 a week on the date of the increase had their benefit increased accordingly. For some time now order books have contained notes explaining the allowable expenses that can be deducted from earnings before applying the disregard and these indicate that the cost of child minding is such an expense.