§ Mr. Frank FieldTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Services whether a widow whose income exceeds her applicable amount for income support purposes might nevertheless live below income support level because the rate rebate taper makes no allowances for mortgage costs.
§ Mr. Portillo[holding answer 23 May 1988]: Yes. This might happen in some cases where the income support assessment contains an amount for mortgage interest and where the person's income remains slightly above income support levels. All those actually on income support will receive a maximum rate rebate. The reason for this is that mortgage payments made by owner-occupiers are not an eligible housing cost for the purposes of housing benefit.