§ Miss Richardsonasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what would be the net cost of raising (a) the invalid care allowance and (b) the non-contributory invalidity pension to the long-term national insurance benefit level; and what would be the net cost if both benefits were paid to married women on the same basis as other claimants.
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§ Mr. PrenticeThe gross annual cost of raising invalid care allowance and non-contributory invalidity pension to the long-term benefit rate for existing beneficiaries is estimated at around £3 million for invalid care allowance and £62 million for non-contributory invalidity pension at 1980–81 benefit rates. The gross annual cost of extending invalid care allowance and non-contributory invalidity pension at the long-term benefit rate to married women would be of the order of £155 million for invalid care allowance and £340 million for non-contributory invalidity pension. Net figures cannot be given as it is not possible to estimate the savings which would be achieved from the offset of supplementary benefit or of dependency increases at present in payment to some of the married women concerned.