§ Mr. Foulkesasked the Secretary of State for Social Services which local authorities charge for home help services; and what is his policy towards authorities which charge those in receipt of attendance allowance for home-help services.
§ Mr. NewtonI refer the hon. Member to the reply given by my hon. Friend to the hon. Member for Bishop Auckland (Mr. Foster) on 22 June 1982 — [Vol. 26, c.90]—on which local authorities charge for home help services in England and Wales. Local authorities have powers to determine what reasonable charges (if any) they make for home help services. We have advised them not to charge those at supplementary benefit levels of income who might suffer real hardship or be prevented by the charge from taking up a service they need. Some forms of home help include personal care of the kind for which attendance allowance is paid but the allowance is not a means-related benefit and in general its receipt carries no implications as to the ability of the recipient to pay for most forms of home help.