§ Mr. McNamaraasked the Secretary of State for Social Services when the earnings limit for persons in receipt of unemployment and other benefits was last raised; and what its value would be at current prices.
§ Dr. BoysonThe current earnings limit of £2 a day for persons in receipt of unemployment benefit came into operation in March 1982; to have the same value at June 1983 prices it would need to be £2.21. For those unemployed people who receive supplementary allowance an earnings rule of £4 a week applies to that benefit. This level has been in operation since November 1980 and would be the equivalent of £5.03 at June 1983 prices.
§ Mr. McNamaraasked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he will establish a review of the level of earnings disregarded regarding deductions from national insurance and other benefits with a view to increasing these.
§ Dr. BoysonThe earnings limits and disregards for national insurance and other benefits are kept under regular review. This year the retirement pensioner earnings limit goes up in November from £57 to £65 a week and the therapeutic earnings limit for those recieving incapacity benefits goes up from £20 to £22.50. Some other earnings limits are directly linked to the value of the benefit to which they link and therefore increase in line with the November increases in social security benefits. In other cases the limits have not increased because higher priority has had to be given to improvements elsewhere within the social security scheme.