§ Mrs. Chalkerasked the Secretary of State for Social Services why there are long delays in the issue and reissue of child benefit books; and what action he is taking to alleviate the hardship that these delays are causing.
§ Mr. Deakins,pursuant to his reply [Official Report, 31 January 1979, Vol. 961, c. 456], gave the following information:
Long delays do not generally occur in the issue and reissue of child benefit order books. The average time taken by the child benefit centre from its receipt of a straightforward claim for a first child to the time when the mother can collect her order book at the Post Office is about a week. Straightforward claims for second and subsequent children take on average about four working days before the mother is sent a notice asking her to return her order book for the extra money. Generally, when the current order book is returned to the centre it is replaced within one and a half to four working days. Other claims for first children and changes of circumstances 406W take longer to clear. The average time taken to deal with other claims is about 23 working days to the time an order book is sent. A change of circumstances notified through a local office takes about 11 working days from the time of notification until the revised payment is issued.
Certain types of cases, such as those where separation, divorce, remarriage, further education or persons coming from and going abroad are involved, tend to take longer than the average but in these cases the centre tries to issue an order book for the amount of benefit which is certain to be payable. We recognise that child benefit is an important part of a family's budget and that hardship may be caused if payment is interrupted for any reason. Local offices have clear instructions for making emergency payments of child benefit if an order book is not returned promptly from the centre or is not available at the post office and hardship is claimed.
The number of occasions in which delays occur should diminish with the introduction later this year of a new computer system at the child benefit centre. This system will provide, among other improvements, that if a further child is to be included or reincluded in an award of benefit it will not be necessary for the existing book to be recalled and replaced but an additional book will be issued for the extra money. If there are any particular cases of delay which the hon. Member has in mind, I shall gladly look into them.