§ Mr. Carter-Jonesasked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) what is his estimate of the number of disabled housewives who will receive no benefit from the non-contributory invalidity pension because the whole amount will be subtracted from the supplementary benefit or family income supplement which their family is receiving;
(2) what is his estimate of the number of potentially eligible disabled housewives who will not receive non-contributory invalidity pension because their husband is in receipt of a national insurance benefit which includes an addition for a dependent wife.
§ Mr. Alfred Morris:The principal purpose of this new benefit is to provide financial help to disabled housewives who previously received no help whatever. We 712W estimate that there may be some 5,000 families where the wife is severely disabled and eligible for non-contributory invalidity pension for married women, but where the award of the new pension to the wife may increase the overall family income by less than the full amount of the pension or not at all.
This figure includes families in which the wife is entitled to an overlapping national insurance benefit at a lower rate than non-contributory invalidity pension; families in which the husband has a national insurance benefit and has been receiving an increase for his wife which will cease if she qualifies for noncontributory invalidity pension; and families receiving supplementary benefit.
Family income supplement, once awarded, continues unchanged for 12 months and during this period an award of non-contributory invalidity pension could, therefore, increase the overall family income.
§ Mr. Carter-Jonesasked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many applications have so far been received for non-contributory invalidity pension from disabled housewives.
§ Mr. Alfred Morris:Up to 18th October 1977 some 38,000 claims for non-contributory invalidity pension for married women had been received. This new benefit, which can now be claimed by married women under 60 who are incapable both of their normal household duties and of paid work outside the home, will become payable from 17th November. I hope that hon. and right hon. Members will encourage any of their constituents who may be eligible, and who have not yet claimed, to obtain the leaflet and claim form (NI214) from their local social security office, and to return the completed claim form as soon as possible.