§ Mr. Forthasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will list the benefits which are not payable on the sole ground that capital owned by a claimant exceeds a specified sum; what is the effect on eligibility of a claimant attaining retirement age; and if he will estimate the cost of removing this bar to receipt of benefit.
§ Dr. BoysonSupplementary benefit is the only social security benefit which is not payable to a claimant who possesses capital above a prescribed level. The current prescribed level, which applies to all claimants regardless of age, is £3,000. Sufficient, reliable data are not available to enable a precise calculation to be made of the cost of abolishing the rule but it is estimated that it would be considerably in excess of £100 million a year.