National Insurance (Hansard, 12 June 1985)

§ Mr. John
asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what proportion of national insurance contributions are met by employers and employees, respectively, in respect of (a) contracted-in employment and (b) contracted-out employment; and what proportion he estimates will be met by each party in respect of the new common rate of national insurance contribution.

§ Mr. Whitney
The proportions of national insurance contributions which are met by employers and employees in respect of not-contracted-out and contracted-out employments are shown by the following percentage rates of contributions on earnings:

From April 1985

Employer (per cent.) Employee (per cent.)

Not-contracted out 10.45 9.0

Contracted-out 10.45 up to the 9.0 up to the LEL

LEL^*

+6.35 between the +6.85 between the

LEL and UEL† LEL and UEL

^*Lower earnings limit (£35.50 per week).

† Upper earnings limit (£265.00 per week).

Department; and what is his estimate of the proportion of those eligible who have claimed, or are in the process of claiming, the severe disablement allowance.

§ Mr. Newton
Our £400,000 publicity campaign designed to ensure maximum take-up of severe disablement allowance (and non-contributory invalidity pension — including house-wives' non-contributory invalidity pension—the benefit which severe disablement allowance replaced) utilised the national newspapers and magazines and specialist, professional and disabled people's media, including publications specifically for people with a visual handicap. In addition, the publicity campaign was backed up by a special exercise to invite claims from those, including blind people, drawing supplementary benefit who appeared to have underlying title to non-contributory invalidity pension.
I regret that information is not available on the number of blind people who may be eligible for severe disablement 481W allowance and the proportion of those who have claimed, or are in the process of claiming it. Overall, however, we have received over 24,000 new claims for severe disablement allowance and our special exercise for people drawing supplementary benefit has resulted, as at 7 May, in the issue of 61,000 invitations and the receipt of some 36,000 non-contributory invalidity pension claims.

From April 1985
	Employer (per cent.)	Employee (per cent.)
Not-contracted out	10.45	9.0
Contracted-out	10.45 up to the	9.0 up to the LEL
	LEL^*
	+6.35 between the	+6.85 between the
	LEL and UEL†	LEL and UEL
^*Lower earnings limit (£35.50 per week).
† Upper earnings limit (£265.00 per week).