HC Deb 04 July 1984 vol 63 cc202-3W
Mr. Gordon Brown

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is his estimate of the cost for the year 1984–85 of the new rates of benefit in the categories (i) main increased contributory and non-contributory benefit rates (a) earnings limit for retirement pensioners, (b) standard rate of invalidity pension, (c) invalidity allowance, (d) standard rate of sickness benefit, (e) maternity allowance, (f) attendance allowance, (g) noncontributory invalidity pension, (h) therapeutic earnings, (i) invalid care allowance, (j) increase of non-contributory invalidity pension and invalid care allowance for a wife or other adult dependant, (k) mobility allowance, (l) guardian's allowance, child's special allowance, and (m) rate of benefit of children of widows, invalidity, noncontributory invalidity and retirement pensioners, invalid care beneficiaries and unemployment and sickness beneficiaries when claimant is over pension age; (ii) main increased industrial injuries benefit rates; (iii) main increased supplementary benefit rates; (iv) main increased housing benefit rates; (v) main increased war pension rates; (vi) death benefits and (vii) family income supplement.

Mr. Newton

The estimated costs in 1984–85 of the new rates of benefit are shown to the nearest million pounds in the table below. An asterisk indicates the cost is less than £500,000; the various headings are as in the table provided by my right hon. Friend on 18 June at columns 30–34.

£ million
Increased contributory and non-contributory benefit rates Including in particular: 448
(a) earnings limit for retirment pensioners *
(b) standard rate of invalidity pension 22
(c) invalidity allowance 3
(d) standard rate of sickness benefit 4
(e) maternity allowance 3
(f) attendance allowance 10
(g) non-contributory invalidity pension 4
(h) "therapeutic" earnings *
(i) invalid care allowance *
(j) increase of non-contributory invalidity pension and invalid care allowance for wife or other adult dependant *
(k) mobility allowance 6
£ million
(l) guardian's allowance, child's special allowance *
(m) rate of benefit for children *
Increased industrial injuries benefit rates 8
Increased supplementary benefit rates 82
Increased housing benefit rates 5
Increased war pension rates
Including: 9
(a) disablement benefits 6
(b) death benefits 3
Family income supplement 2
Total cost of uprating 554