§ Mr. Wigleyasked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many more people would be eligible to claim invalid care allowance (a) under the present rules and (b) if the allowance was extended to married and cohabiting women by 1985.
§ Mr. RossiThe information is as follows:
- (a) An estimated 2,000.
- (b) The current estimate is that up to 110,000 would be eligible. No more precise estimate is available for 1985.
§ Mr. Alfred Morrisasked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) what consideration he has given to establishing the invalid care allowance as a contributory benefit and retaining a non-contributory allowance for people who have been unable to acquire an insurance record; and if he will make a statement;
(2) what representations he has received about the level of the invalid care allowance from the National Council for the Single Woman and her Dependants; and what reply he is making;
(3) if he will increase the level of the basic rate of invalid care allowance to the same level as the basic levels of sickness and unemployment benefit.
§ Mr. RossiThe national council has represented that invalid care allowance should be raised to the level of sickness benefit and unemployment benefit for those carers who satisfy a contribution test. We have no plans to introduce differential rates of the allowance in this way for people who are providing similar levels of care or to make any general increase in the level of the allowance as suggested.