§ Mr. Gwilym Roberts asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will take steps to ensure that recipients of child benefit who do not complete an option as to their desired frequency of payment continue to receive their payments on a weekly basis as from January 1982; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mrs. Chalker:Recipients of child benefit who do not complete and return an option card indicating that they wish to continue to receive weekly payment will receive their payments every four weeks in arrears from their first 283W renewal order book after 15 March 1982. Option cards are being included in all order books issued between November 1981 and March 1982. Anyone who does not return the card to the Child Benefit center and is put on to four-weekly payments will be able to ask to switch back to weekly payment at any time within the six months after the change. This is explained on the option card. In addition, regulations will provide that any recipient of child benefit paid four-weekly will be able to switch to weekly payment at any time if he or she is a lone parent; or if the family is receiving supplementary benefit or family income supplement; or if hardship is being caused as a result of payment four-weekly. This will be explained in the notes contained in each child benefit order book.