HC Deb 21 July 1988 vol 137 cc824-7W
Mr. Alison

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will bring up to date the reply given to the hon. Member for Norfolk, North (Mr. Howell) on 2 February 1987,Official Report, column 542, in respect of the value of major social security benefits, so as to include benefits payable from November 1987 under the earlier, and the new and now current arrangements.

Mr. Scott

The information requested is in the table. It is not possible to make direct comparisons of rates of family income supplement and supplementary benefit with rates of family credit and income support, nor rates of housing benefit under the previous scheme with those under the revised scheme.

(a) (b) (c) (d)
Benefit November 1979 actual Wovember 1979 at April 1988 prices April 1988 actual Percentage increase (c) over (b)
3. Widows Benefit
Widows allowance 32.60 57.25 57.65 0.7
Widowed Mother's allowance 23.30 40.91 41.15 0.6
Widow's pension 23.30 40.91 41.15 0.6
4. Ivalidity Pension
Single 23.30 40.91 41.15 0.6
Couple 37.30 65.50 65.90 0.6
5. Unemployment Benefit
Single 18.50 32.49 32.75 0.8
Couple 29.95 52.59 52.95 0.7
6. Sickness Benefit
Single 18.50 32.49 31.30 -3.7
Couple 29.95 52.59 50.70 -3.6
7. Maternity Allowance
Single 18.50 32.49 31.30 -3.7
Couple 29.95 52.59 50.70 -3.6
8. Severe Disablement Allowance1
Single 14.00 24.58 24.75 0.7
Couple 22.40 39.33 39.55 0.6
9. Attendance Allowance
Higher rate 18.60 32.66 32.95 0.9
Lower rate 12.40 21.77 22.00 1.1
10. Invalid Care Allowance
Single 14.00 24.58 24.75 0.7
Couple 22.40 39.33 39.55 0.6
11. Mobility Allowance 12.00 21.07 23.05 9.4
12. Child Benefit2 4.00 7.79 7.25 -6.9
13. One Parent Benefit 2.50 4.39 4.90 11.6
14. Industrial Disablement Pension
Over 18 38.00 66.73 67.20 0.7
Under 18 23.30 40.91 41.15 0.6
Reduced rates—10 per cent. 90 per cent. of basic rate
Maximum Disablement Gratuity (lump sum) 2,530.00 442.67 4,47.000 0.6
Unemployability Supplement 23.30 40.91 41.15 0.6
Maximum Special Hardship Allowance 15.20 26.69 26.88 0.7
Industrial Death Benefit
Initial rate 32.60 57.25 57.65 0.7
Higher permanent rate 23.85 41.88 41.15 -1.7
Lower permanent rate 6.99 12.27 12.35 0.7
Constant Attendance Allowance
Normal maximum rate 15.20 26.69 26.90 0.8
Part-time rate 7.60 13.35 13.45 0.7
Intermediate rate 22.80 40.04 40.35 0.8
Exceptional rate 30.40 53.38 53.80 0.8
15. Child Dependency Addition
With short-term benefits3 1.70 2.99 — —
With long-term benefits 7.10 12.47 8.40 -32.6
1 Replaced non-contributory invalidity pension and housewives' non-contributory invalidity pension.
2 April 1979 rates.
3 Child dependency additions with short.term benefits were abolished in 1984.

Ms. Abbott

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services, pursuant to the answer of 5 May,Official Report, columns 550–51, if he will give details of how transitional payments for housing benefit will be recalculated following a change in the claimant's circumstances or in housing benefit entitlement; and if it will be the responsibility of the local authority either to send the relevant information to the central unit or to do the necessary recalculation.

Mr. Portillo

[holding answer 15 July 1988]: Transitional payments will be withdrawn if an applicant becomes entitled to income support or stops being responsible for rent, or rates, or both. Benefit will also stop if a single applicant dies or both of a couple die. Any other changes in circumstances that occur during the currency of an award will not affect the rate of benefit in payment. Applicants, or someone acting on their behalf, are asked to notify these changes directly to the transitional payments unit in Glasgow. The unit will then be responsible for adjusting benefit and normally local authorities will not be involved in the process.

Ms. Abbott

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services (1), pursuant to the answer of 5 May,Official Report, columns 550–51, in respect of transitional payments, if he is yet in a position to state when people can start making claims; if he will explain how the central unit will obtain the necessary information and documentation that will allow the calculation of the transitional payment for housing benefit claimants; and what information claimants should submit with their claims;

(2) if, pursuant to the answer of 5 May, Official Report, columns 550–51, in respect of the administration of transitional protection for housing benefit claimants, he will specify where claims for transitional payments can be made; and if claims will be accepted at both local Department of Health and Social Security offices and housing benefit offices, as well as at the central unit in Glasgow.

Mr. Portillo

[holding answer 15 July 1988]: Leaflet RR4 (Housing Benefit—New Rules), which contains an application form for transitional payments, has been available for several weeks from DHSS local offices, local authorities, post offices and through our Freepost and Freeline services. Completed application forms should be returned by Freepost to the transitional payments unit in Glasgow. Any that are received incorrectly at the Department's local offices or in local authorities will be forwarded to their correct destination. Normally nothing will be required from the applicant other than a completed application form RR4. Once application forms have been received by the transitional payments unit inquiry forms are issued to local authorities to obtain information necessary to establish eligibility for transitional payments.