§ Mrs. Beckettasked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many widows are expected to lose benefit by the payment of a lump sum instead of weekly widow's allowance; and what the savings will be in a full year.
§ Mr. ScottIt is estimated that in 1988–89 about 1,000 widows will receive the widow's payment of £1,000 who would under the current scheme have been entitled only to widow's allowance for 26 weeks at £57.65 a week, without a succeeding benefit. Because of other alterations in the structure of widows' benefits, a further group of younger widows without dependent children—estimated at about 2,000—will receive widow's payment only whereas under the current scheme they would have received weekly benefits. The extent of loss, as compared with the current scheme, will depend on the widow's tax position and her age. The changes in widows' benefits will cost in total an additional £24 million in the first year but savings will accrue thereafter, rising to some £120 million at November 1985 prices by 2033–34. It is not possible to isolate the expenditure effects of the replacement of the widow's allowance from the wider effect of structural changes.