§ Mr. BattleTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what are the reasons for the delay experienced by Mr. and Mrs. Elliot, of the Rodney road centre, Leeds, in hearing the outcome of their claim for family credit; what are the grounds for the refusal of (i) family credit and (ii) income support in that case; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Peter LloydMrs. Elliot was notified on 3 November 1988 that her claim for family credit made on 22 September 1988 had been disallowed on the ground that neither she nor her husband were normally engaged in remunerative work within the terms of section 20(5)(b) of the Social Security Act 1986 and regulation 5(2) of the Family Credit (General) Regulations 1987. The delay was caused by the need to make inquiries of Mr. Elliot's employers to establish details of his employment. Mr. Elliot's claim for income support made on 14 November 1988 was disallowed on the ground that he was engaged in remunerative work of 24 hours or more within the terms of section 20(3)(c) of the Social Security Act 1986 and regulation 5 of the Income Support (General) Regulations 1987.
As I said in my reply to the hon. Member on 6 July at column 247, we are considering ways of minimising the risk of families failing to qualify for either benefit.