HC Deb 12 January 1988 vol 125 cc244-5W
66. Mr. Kirkwood

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he has any plans to make special arrangements to enable local authorities to continue to disregard war widow's income in assessing housing benefit entitlement.

Mr. Portillo

The Housing Benefit (General) Regulations 1987 increase the amount of war widows' pensions that all local authorities are required to disregard from £4 to £5. In addition, under the Social Security Act 1986 individual local authorities continue to have discretion to disregard for housing benefit purposes up to the full amount of any war widow's pension. Any other income which war widows may have is treated in the same way as the income of other claimants.