§ Mr. Frank Fieldasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if any social security benefits have fallen in real terms since 1979; and if he will list each such benefit.
§ Dr. BoysonMost social security benefits have increased in real terms since 1979. The following, however, have fallen in real terms between November 1978 and November 1983: Christmas bonus, the age addition to retirement pension, death grant, maternity grant and the supplementary benefit additional requirements for blindness and additions for a claimant or dependant over age 80. In addition, the decision to offset increases in child benefit against child dependency additions has resulted in a fall in the real value of those additions paid with retirement pension, widows' benefits, unemployment benefit, sickness benefit, invalidity pension, maternity allowance, industrial death benefit, invalid care allowance, non-contributory invalidity pension, and war pension unemployability allowance, as well as in the value of the child's special allowance, guardian's allowance and the war pension death benefit child allowances. Finally, certain benefits which are not taxable were uprated in 1980 by 5 percentage points less than the increase that would otherwise have been due. These are sickness benefit, invalidity pension, maternity allowance, and unemployability supplement as well as the adult dependency increase paid with sickness benefit, invalidity pension and maternity allowance.