Invalidity Benefit (Hansard, 1 March 1978)

§ Mr. Michael Latham
asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many persons aged 65 years or over are currently in receipt of long term invalidity benefit.

§ Mr. Orme
Women aged 65 and over are deemed to be retired and receive retirement pension instead of invalidity benefit. It is estimated that at June 1976, the latest date for which figures are available, the number of persons receiving invalidity benefit at or over minimum pensionable age—65 for a man, 60 for a woman—was 24,000 men and 5,000 women.

§ Mr. Michael Latham
asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will give consideration to altering the present situation by which persons in receipt of a non-taxable invalidity benefit lose it at 70 years of age, and receive instead a taxable State retirement pension.

§ Mr. Orme
Deeming retirement at age 70–65 for a woman—is part of the arrangement whereby a person may, with advantage, postpone retirement and forego pension for up to five years from minimum pensionable age. During this time, there is title to sickness or invalidity benefit for any periods of incapacity

(1) (2) (3) (4) (5)

Claims to unemployment benefit, or to an increase in benefit in respect of dependants, disallowed because of: Column (2) as a percentage of all claims to personal unemployment benefit‡ Column (3) as a percentage of all claims to personal unemployment benefit‡

Year Late claim^* Other reasons^*†

1972 … … … 33,000 595,000 1.0 17.7

1973 … … … 29,000 580,000 1.0 20.8

1974 … … … 32,000 634,000 1.0 19.7

1975 … … … 31,000 720,000 0.7 16.3

1976 … … … 31,000 720,000 0.6 15.1

^* Excluding decisions given on review or appeal.

† More than one disallowance may occur during the currency of a claim.

‡ Information is not available to permit precisely the same coverage of types of claim in columns (4) and (5) as in columns (2) and (3).

§ Mrs. Chalker
asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will list in the Official Report the time limits affecting eligibility to claim for each national insurance benefit and its specific additions; and what advice is regularly given to claimants about time limits likely to affect them.

§ Mr. Orme
, pursuant to his reply [Official Report, 8th February 1978;
260W
for work. At 70–65—retirement is deemed and pension, together with any increments earned because of deferred retirement, is payable whether or not a person has retired. It follows that payment of sickness or invalidity benefit is then no longer appropriate.
I have no plans for changing these arrangements, which have existed from the early days of national insurance. Incapacity benefits are not taxed simply because the solution to the practical problems of doing so has eluded successive Governments.

(1)	(2)	(3)	(4)	(5)
	Claims to unemployment benefit, or to an increase in benefit in respect of dependants, disallowed because of:	Column (2) as a percentage of all claims to personal unemployment benefit‡	Column (3) as a percentage of all claims to personal unemployment benefit‡
Year	Late claim^*	Other reasons^*†
1972	…	…	…	33,000	595,000	1.0	17.7
1973	…	…	…	29,000	580,000	1.0	20.8
1974	…	…	…	32,000	634,000	1.0	19.7
1975	…	…	…	31,000	720,000	0.7	16.3
1976	…	…	…	31,000	720,000	0.6	15.1
^* Excluding decisions given on review or appeal.
† More than one disallowance may occur during the currency of a claim.
‡ Information is not available to permit precisely the same coverage of types of claim in columns (4) and (5) as in columns (2) and (3).