§ Mr. Alfred Morrisasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will list the criteria for the new mobility allowance for war pensioners (a) for existing beneficiaries of the vehicle scheme or recipients of private car maintenance allowance and (b) for new claimants; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. NewtonThe war pensioners who will automatically qualify for the new war pensions mobility supplement when it becomes available in November are those who have the loan of a car or are receiving private car maintenance and those who were beneficiaries of the former invalid vehicle scheme before 1 January 1976 and transferred to mobility allowance under the special arrangements then made. In addition the supplement will be open to
- (1) war pensioners who are double leg amputees (one above or through the knee);
- (2) war pensioners who are unable to walk, or whose ability to walk without severe discomfort is so restricted that it is of little or no practical use, or to whom walking causes a degree of exertion which is dangerous in itself or is a likley cause of serious deterioration in health.
The inability to walk or the difficulty in walking must be wholly or mainly due to the accepted war disablement and must be likely to persist for at least 12 months.