§ Mr. Dubsasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what measures have been taken to improve the take-up of (a) supplementary benefit, (b) family income supplement and (c) housing benefit, including housing benefit supplement; and what measures will be taken to overcome the poor take-up of entitlement to additional requirements and single payments by supplementary benefit recipients as indicated in the recent report of the Policy Studies Institute in the reform of supplementary benefit.
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§ Mr. NewtonThe Department has undertaken a wide range of measures to improve the take-up of these benefits, including supplementary benefit single payments and additional requirements. A general programme of publicity is maintained by the use of leaflets and posters in a large number of outlets such as DHSS local offices, doctor's surgeries, law centres, post offices, citizens advice bureaux and a number of voluntary organisations. These leaflets and posters are regularly revised in the light of comments from the public and professional advice. We have recently launched a freefone information and advice service covering all of the country except London postal districts. We operate a number of local schemes, sometimes experimental, such as "benefit buses" and local information officers. We also co-operate as fully as possible at a local level with well-organised take-up campaigns mounted by local authorities.
We continue to seek to promote the take-up of supplementary benefit by issuing a claim form to all retirement pensioners and widows, all unemployed claimants and all sickness benefit claimants. In December 1982 a new postal claim form was introduced for unemployed claimants, which makes it easier and more convenient for them to claim. We have also set up pilot schemes for assessing the effects of extending postal claiming to other groups. The forms used in these pilot schemes include more specific questions on claimants' circumstances, and will, it is hoped, enable all a claimant's supplementary benefit entitlement to be identified, including any additional requirements that there may be. The results are at present being analysed.
Recent initiatives to improve the take-up of family income supplement have included the issuing of a training brief to agencies involved in giving advice to potential claimants. Help has been sought from employers' associations, trade unions and local authorities in publicising the benefit.
The introduction of housing benefit was accompanied by advertisements in the press, and the use of leaflets and posters. All claimants who fail to qualify for, or who cease to receive, supplementary benefit are automatically sent a claim form for housing benefit. A formula has also been given to local authorities to enable them to identify those recipients of standard housing benefit who are of pension age, and who may qualify for housing benefit supplement or supplementary benefit.
§ Mr. Winnickasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what was the number of people of working age receiving supplementary benefit for 12 months or more in (a) the west midlands and (b) the Walsall borough area in May 1979 and now; and what is the percentage change.
§ Dr. Boyson[pursuant to his reply, 30 July 1984]: Walsall is covered by two local offices: Walsall east and Walsall west. Information is not readily available in the form requested. However, information about the total supplementary benefit live load, excluding pensioners is as follows:
May 1979 (Thousands) May 1984 (Thousands) per cent. increase West Midlands 192.8 349.6 81.4 Walsall East 4.5 9.1 100.0 Walsall West 4.7 10.6 126.4