HC Deb 23 February 1979 vol 963 cc393-4W
Mr. Arthur Latham

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what estimates are available of the number of elderly people who do not qualify for a death grant, and what would be the cost of including them in the present scheme.

Mr. Deakins

It is estimated that there are at present about 100,000 elderly people who, on death, will not qualify for any death grant; and about 850,000 who will qualify for only a half-rate grant. The additional cost in 1979–80 of paying the full grant to these groups would be about £700,000 and £1,900,000 respectively.

Mr. Arthur Latham

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what would be the cost of uprating the death grant to its original 1949 value.

Mr. Deakins

Based on the movement of the general index of retail prices up to January 1979, the latest month for which figures are available, the grant would need to be increased to over £127 to restore the value of the £20 grant introduced in July 1949. This would cost an additional £52 million a year.

Mr. Arthur Latham

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what would be the additional cost of paying a death grant of £125 to those elderly people at present excluded from the scheme on the grounds of age.

Mr. Deakins

If the standard rate death grant were increased to £125, the additional cost in 1979–80 of paying the grant to those elderly people who cannot qualify for it at present would be about £3 million. It would cost a further £7.5 million to pay the £125 grant to those who, because of their age, qualify at present for only half the standard rate. The total cost of increasing the standard rate grant to £125 and extending its coverage in this way would be over £60 million.

Mr. Bowden

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many representations he has received in the last year from (a) individuals and (b) organisations asking that the level of the death grant be reviewed.

Mr. Deakins

I regret that this information is not available in the form requested. However, since 1 October 1978, my Department has received about 170 representations concerning the level of the death grant. These included 45 representations direct from organisations and 36 from individual members of the public. The remainder included letters from hon. Members and representations which hon. Members have referred to my Department on behalf of individuals and organisations.