§ Mr. Peter Bruinvelsasked the Secretary of State for Social Services in what circumstances social security payments are made to visitors to the United Kingdom.
§ Mr. NewtonMost social security benefits have residence and contribution tests and other individual specific tests of eligibility which could not be fulfilled by a visitor to the United Kingdom. Entitlement to supplementary benefit, which does not have residence or contribution tests, may be dependent on immigration status and most visitors from abroad are admitted on the understanding that they will support themselves: their conditions of entry effectively exclude them from benefit entitlement. However, in some circumstances, where a person has been given limited leave to enter and the Home Office has his status under consideration, payments may be made on an urgent needs basis.