§ 37. Mr. Andrew SmithTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will make a statement on retirement pensioners' eligibility for the mobility allowance.
§ Mr. ScottTo qualify for mobility allowance, a person must fulfil the qualifying condition of being unable or virtually unable to walk before his or her 65th birthday. A claim is valid if it is received before the person's 66th birthday, but it can succeed only by showing that the medical conditions were fulfilled by the earlier age. Once an allowance has been awarded it can, if the conditions continue to be fulfilled, remain in payment until the recipient reaches age 75, but my right hon. Friend announced on 27 October that legislation is to be brought forward to extend this upper age limit to 80.