§ Mr. Pawseyasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the average amount of total benefit paid to unemployed persons with a spouse and (a) two children, (b) four children and (c) five children and over.
§ Mr. WhitneyInformation in the form requested is not available. However, the table gives the standard rates of unemployment benefit plus child benefit at the rate of £6.50 per child (£6.85 from November 1984) and equivalent supplementary benefit rates for those whose resources are not otherwise sufficient.
housing benefit nor the earlier rent allowance scheme were intended to give help with payments made by non-dependents for their keep. We are consulting the local authority associations and the Social Security Advisory Committee about amending regulations my right hon. Friend intends to lay before the House in the near future to remedy this defect.
§ Mr. Kirkwoodasked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) in what circumstances housing benefit supplement can be backdated to 1 April 1983;
(2) if he has any information on the backlog at local authorities and offices of his Department of unidentified housing benefit supplement cases.
§ Mr. NewtonHousing benefit supplement is a special payment of supplementary benefit and in order to qualify for it a person must first claim supplementary benefit. If a person fails to qualify for supplementary benefit because his income exceeds his supplementary benefit requirements the local DHSS Office automatically notifies the local authority of the amount in excess. The local authority then pay housing benefit supplement to meet the difference between the excess income and the amount of rent and rates not met by normal housing benefit.
I am not aware of any backlog of claims awaiting action by either local authorities or local offices.
Housing benefit supplement will only be backdated to 1 April 1983 if the claimant can show that he had good cause for his failure to make an earlier claim for supplementary benefit.
§ Mr. Kirkwoodasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the estimated take-up of housing benefit supplement.
§ Mr. NewtonInformation on the take-up of housing benefit supplement is not available.
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§ Mr. Kirkwoodasked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many people are estimated to be eligible for housing benefit supplement.
§ Mr. NewtonThe Department estimated in 1983 that about 460,000 claimants then receiving rent rebate and allowance and rate rebate or supplementary benefit would be eligible for housing benefit supplement.
§ Mr. Kirkwoodasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will list his powers and responsibilities regarding the identification of those eligible for the compensatory benefit housing benefit supplement.
§ Mr. NewtonMy right hon. Friend has no specific legal powers or responsibilities in this area. However, a supplementary benefit claimant who fails, or ceases on income grounds to qualify for supplementary benefit, but otherwise meets the conditions of entitlement, is automatically sent a claim form for standard housing benefit. The form indicates the amount by which the claimant's income exceeds his assessed supplementary benefit requirements; this enables the local authority to calculate housing benefit supplement entitlement. The Department has also issued guidelines which enable local authorities to identify most claimants over pensionable age entitled to supplementary benefit or housing benefit supplement.