HC Deb 10 January 1989 vol 144 cc567-8W
Ms. Harman

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will estimate the amount of attendance allowance which is not claimed.

Mr. Scott

The OPCS surveys of disabled people have collected data about the incidence of different types and degrees of disability and also about the receipt of benefits. Using these data, OPCS has shown (see for example table 3.8 in "OPCS Disability Surveys Report 2: The financial circumstances of disabled adults living in private households"—a copy of which is in the Library) the proportions of people receiving attendance allowance at various levels of severity of disability. It should, however, be borne in mind that, since 1985, when these data were collected, there has been a one-third increase in the number of AA recipients. It is not possible to use the OPCS data about the incidence of disability to identify with sufficient certainty the total number of people who would satisfy the eligibility criteria for AA, and thereby to estimate the amount of benefit not claimed.