§ Mr. HaselhurstTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he proposes changes to the income support scheme in the light of his announcement of 27 April.
§ Mr. ScottIn addition to the more flexible approach to the treatment of property as capital which my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State announced yesterday, we propose making three other small changes to the rules governing the income related benefits.
We will provide transitional protection for disabled people, lone parents and pensioners who were receiving supplementary benefit but who are not entitled to income support because of changes in the rules relating to full-time work.
Secondly, we will also provide that certain young people in full-time education who lost their benefit on 11 April because they were over 19 years old will get protection. Both these groups of people will be able to look for this special help to the new central unit, announced yesterday.
Thirdly, we intend to give additional protection to certain small groups who were temporarily away from home during the week before 11 April. We have in mind, 254W for example, people who were temporarily in hospital or respite care and those who were abroad getting medical treatment. This extra help will be provided through the income support scheme.
These additional minor changes will be introduced as soon as practicable and will target help to particularly vulnerable groups. Procedures for claiming these new forms of transitional protection will be announced shortly.