HL Deb 24 February 1986 vol 471 cc931-4WA

"The Committee is invited to consider changes to the single payments regulations contained in the attached draft Supplementary Benefit (Miscellaneous Amendments) Regulations.

"As the Committee is aware, the present single payments regulations came into being as part of the wider changes introduced in 1980 when the supplementary benefit scheme was put on the basis of regulated entitlement. Under this Government there have been substantial improvements in weekly benefit rates. Since 1978–79 their real value has risen by 6 per cent., while other changes have raised the real value of weekly heating additions by some £140 million. In 1980 itself, an improved pattern of children's scale rates was introduced with the result that support for children in supplementary benefit families is now estimated to be some £150 million higher in real terms than if the previous value and structure had been retained. At the same time, lone parents, and the long-term sick and disabled, started to receive the higher long-term' rate of benefit after one year instead of two. Further beneficial changes have taken place subsequently including in particular the ending of the 'invalidity trap' in 1983.

"Despite these improvements, there has been since 1981 a rapid and continuing growth in single payments. They have risen from less than 1 million payments totalling some £45 million in 1981 to over 4 million payments totalling over £300 million in 1985.

"The Government do not believe that this rate of increase can be either justified or sustained. It is imposing a disproportionately heavy administrative burden on DHSS local offices. It is aggravating the widely perceived unfairness of the contrast between the position of those on supplementary benefit and those who may have incomes only very little higher, including those in low-paid jobs, to whom no comparable help is available. Moreover, there are clear indications that this trend is continuing.

"In these circumstances the Government now propose to take steps to bring expenditure back to around the 1984 level—the last full year before the present Social Security Review proposals were published—and to ensure an orderly administration of the single payments system in the two years before the Government reform proposals take effect.

"The main changes which would be brought about by the proposed regulations are as follows:

—the list of eligible items for furniture to be revised with standard sums in a national price list;

—help with furniture for people moving to be linked more clearly to the reasons for a move which qualify for payment of removal expenses;

—the abolition of the condition that prevents payments for furniture for certain movers where there is suitable alternative furnished accommodation available, and the clarification of the position of people moving from special care accommodation;

—the introduction of a standard sum, based on the size of the family, for qualifying movers towards miscellaneous furniture and household equipment needs;

—help with replacement of furniture to be subject to time limits for initial and repeat payments other than on health and safety grounds, except for those over pension age and the chronically sick and disabled;

—revision of help with maternity needs, with prescribed sums and quantities;

—bedding to be provided for those with a good reason for move and to elderly or sick or disabled members of the family;

—limiting of help with costs of redecoration materials to those over pension age and the chronically sick or disabled;

—revised rules for payments for clothing and footwear.

"No changes are proposed in the regulation covering exceptionally severe weather payments which the Government are keeping under review in the light of experience this winter, nor in the rules for payments for draughtproofing where Ministers are considering alternative arrangements with other interested departments.

"At Annex 1 is an explanatory note on the draft regulations and at Annex 2 are the draft regulations themselves."

Copies of the note with annex are in the Printed Paper Office.