§ Mr. Tom Clarkeasked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) what is the number of Scottish pensioners who have lost (a) up to £1 per week, (b) between £1 and £4 per week and (c) over £4 per week as a result of changes introduced in April;
(2) if he will estimate the average loss to pensioners in Scotland of housing benefit changes introduced in April;
(3) if he will estimate the number of pensioners in Scotland who have lost housing benefit completely as a result of the changes introduced in April;
(4) what is the number of pensioners and percentage of pensioners who have lost (a) some housing benefit and (b) all housing benefit, breaking the figures down between local authority tenants and private tenants, in Scotland. as a result of the April changes.
§ Mr. PortilloI regret that breakdowns of estimates of the effects of the changes to the housing benefit scheme in April 1987 are not available separately for Scottish households.
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§ Mr. Foulkesasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is his most recent estimate of the numbers of retirement pensioners who will be worse off by (a) up to £1 per week, (b) between £1 and £2 per week, (c) between £2 and £3 per week, (d) between £3 and £4 per week, (e) between £4 and £5 per week, and (f) £5 per week or over when housing benefit supplement is withdrawn in April 1988.
§ Mr. PortilloThe information is not available on which to base an estimate. However, claims for people receiving housing benefit supplement immediately before the introduction of the reformed social security schemes will automatically be assessed for entitlement to income support as well as for reformed housing benefit.
§ Mr. Andrew Bowdenasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is his most recent estimate of the number of pensioners who have capital in excess of £6,000 and who receive housing benefit.
§ Mr. PortilloWe do not collect specific information about amounts of capital held by households who receive housing benefit. The 1984 and 1985 family expenditure surveys included questions on income from capital and it is possible to use this information to make broad estimates, although these may not be very reliable. On this basis, it is estimated that currently somewhat over one third of a million pensioners in receipt of standard housing benefit have capital over £6,000.
§ Mr. Andrew Bowdenasked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether the transitional protection to be afforded to recipients of supplementary benefit in April 1988 will also be afforded to recipients of housing benefit supplement.
§ Mr. PortilloNo, transitional protection will not be afforded to recipients of housing benefit supplement—they will be treated in the same way as other claimants of standard housing benefit. However, all housing benefit supplement recipients will automatically be assessed for Income Support to ensure that those who are entitled to income support receive it without the need for a separate claim.
§ Mr. Rookerasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he proposes to alter the basis of housing benefit from household income to individual income on the introduction of the community charge; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. PortilloThe provisions in housing benefit to assess the resources of couples jointly will continue. Non-dependant deductions, currently made in respect of a contribution by the non-dependant towards domestic rates, will not be needed when the community charge has replaced domestic rates.
§ Mr. Wareingasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what representations he has received on the need for housing benefit to cover emergency alarm systems for elderly, infirm and disabled people living in dispersed housing; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. PortilloWe have received representations from the local authority associations and from organisations representing the elderly on the eligibility for housing benefit of the costs of charges for emergency alarm systems. The reformed housing benefit scheme carries forward our existing policy that housing benefit covers802W only those costs which are directly related to accommodation requirements. In response to comments on the reformed scheme, the final draft regulations recently issued to the local authority associations for consultation make it clear that charges for emergency alarm systems will be eligible for housing benefit where they are provided in any accommodation which is particularly suitable for elderly, sick or disabled people.