HC Deb 26 April 1989 vol 151 cc541-2W
Mr. Redmond

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will list for the Doncaster and Mexborough areas of South Yorkshire to date what statistical information he has as to the different reasons given by social fund officers(a) for negative decisions to claimants on (i) budgeting loans and (ii) partial awards and (b) to claimants for nil award decisions for (i) community care grants and (ii) partial awards.

Mr. Peter Lloyd

[holding answer 17 April 1989]: The local offices in the Doncaster and Mexborough areas of South Yorkshire are Doncaster East, Doncaster West, and Wath on Dearne.

The table gives the number of times that a reason for decision is used by social fund officers for determining a nil award for community care grants and budgeting loans.

No information is collected on reasons for decision for partial awards.

An application can be refused for more than one reason. The total number of reasons for decision used will be equal to or greater than the number of applications refused. Information on the numbers of applications processed and awards is available in the Library.

Number
DONCASTER EAST
Budgeting Loans—Reasons for Decision
Savings over £500 meet the full cost: 2
Not in receipt of IS: 79
Not in receipt of IS for 26 weeks: 429
Item(s) excluded by direction: 71
Applicant excluded: 4
Applied for less than £30: 38
Adjusted amount less than £30: 12
Total debt exceeds £1,000: 0
Previous application and decision for the item: 51
Inability to repay: 16
Help available from other source. 7
Priority too low to meet from the budget. 492
Alternative available to whole application. 4
Loan refused because CCG awarded. 33
Others not covered above. 74
Community Care Grants—Reasons for Decision
Savings over £500 meet the full cost: 0
Not in receipt of IS and unlikely to qualify: 29
Item(s) excluded by Direction: 19
Applicant excluded by Direction: 0
Applied for less than £30: 7
Adjusted amount less than £30: 2
Previous application and decision for the item: 15
Help available from another source. 3
Number
Priority too low to meet from the budget. 3
Alternative available to the whole application 1
Others not covered above. 271
Number
DONCASTER WEST
Budgeting Loans—Reasons for Decision
Savings over £500 meet the full cost 1
Not in receipt of IS 126
Not in receipt of IS for 26 weeks 315
Item(s) excluded by direction 70
Applicant excluded 1
Applied for less than £30 34
Adjusted amount less than £30 18
Total debt exceeds £1,000 0
Previous application and decision for the item 48
Inability to repay 70
Help available from another source 22
Priority too low to meet from the budget 328
Alternative available to whole application 24
Loan refused because CCG awarded 35
Others not covered above 121
Community Care Grants—Reasons for decision
Savings over £500 meet the full cost 3
Not in receipt of IS and unlikely to qualify 38
Item(s) excluded by direction 18
Applicant excluded by direction 1
Applied for less than £30 11
Adjusted amount less than £30 2
Previous application and decision for the item 14
Help available from another source 6
Priority too low to meet from the budget 4
Alternative available to whole application 3
Others not covered above 345
Number
WATH ON DEARNE
Budgeting loans—reasons for decision
Savings over £500 meet the full cost: 0
Not in receipt of IS: 73
Not in receipt of IS for 26 weeks: 227
Item(s) excluded by direction: 42
Applicant excluded: 1
Applied for less than £30: 13
Adjusted amount less than £30: 2
Total debt exceeds £1,000: 0
Previous application and decision for the item: 14
Inability to repay: 15
Help available from another source. 0
Priority too low to meet from the budget. 182
Alternative available to whole application. 0
Loan refused because CCG awarded. 18
Others not covered above. 80
Community care grants—reasons for decision
Savings over £500 meet the full cost: 0
Not in receipt of IS and unlikely to qualify: 26
Item(s) excluded by direction: 13
Applicant excluded by direction: 2
Applied for less than £30: 3
Adjusted amount less than £30: 0
Previous application and decision for the item: 0
Help available from another source. 2
Priority too low to meet from the budget. 1
Alternative available to the whole application. 0
Others not covered above. 15