§ Mr. Meacherasked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many invalidity pensioners receive the additional earnings-related component; how much the average addition is; and what steps his Department takes to ensure that claimants know of this addition.
§ Mr. Newton[pursuant to the reply, 19 December 1984, c. 229.] The number of invalidity pensioners receiving the additional component was 365,000 as at 2 April 1983, the latest date for which information is available. The average amount of additional component in payment was £2.63 a week. As regard steps to ensure that claimants know about the additional component, the Department writes to each claimant at the 23rd week of incapacity for work and sends a leaflet about invalidity benefit which explains inter alia the earnings-related part of the benefit. The letter also asks about his recent job(s), to assist in determining title to the additional component. When the award is made the claimant is sent an award notice which shows the rate of the additional component separately. With the award notice is another leaflet which also contains a reference to the additional component.