§ Mrs. Chalkerasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will give in the Official Report his conclusions on the advantages and disadvantages of issuing social benefit payment books in terms of unit amounts.
§ Mr. DeakinsA system of payment of social security benefits by order books expressed in terms of unit amounts is not considered a practical possibility for a number of reasons.
With the multiplicity of rates and possible combinations of rates, many of which are tailored to the beneficiary's individual circumstances, a unit system would be administratively complex and costly. It by no means follows that two identical rates are either made up in the same way or will be increased by the same amount at an uprating. To accommodate all possible combinations of benefit would need some form of machine assistance and the cost of providing such machines at every post office counter position would be prohibitive.
Additionally, each order book foil acts as a declaration of entitlement, an order to pay, a receipt for the amount paid and subsequently an accounting document. It is thus essential that the foil should bear in conventional figures at the time it is signed by the beneficiary the true amount he or she receives and that foils be traceable for the resolution of any subsequent payment or other disputes.
425WA unit system would also be confusing to post office counter staff and to beneficiaries, especially older people, who would find it difficult to cope with order books not expressed in terms of real cash.