§ Mr. Craigenasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he is satisfied with the arrangements which were made to inform claimants and the public at large of the changeover to unified housing benefit; and what general information has been produced by his Department by way of explanation and publicity.
§ Mr. RossiYes. Supplementary benefit claimants involved in the partial start to housing benefit received individual communications from DHSS local offices and local authorities explaining how the change affected them. Similar arrangements will operate for the full start to the scheme in April 1983.
No national publicity was given to the partial start to avoid confusing people who were not affected by the change. In the months prior to the main start, local and national publicity will be given to the scheme.