§ Ms. MowlamTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will publish a table, similar to the one printed on 15 May,Official Report, columns 76–78, in reply to the hon. Member for Leeds, West, (Mr. Battle) but in respect of his Department's local offices at Eston, Hartlepool, Middlesbrough, Redcar and Stockton, showing reasons for social fund loan and grant refusals during the period April 1988 to March 1989.
§ Mr. Peter Lloyd[holding answer 9 June 1989]: The information requested is set out in the table.
The proportions have been calculated as percentages of the total number of reasons for refusal. The total number of reasons for refusal may equal or exceed the total number of refusals because the social fund officer can give more than one reason for refusing an application.
I refer the hon. Member to my pursuant reply to the hon. Member for Leeds, West (Mr. Battle) today.
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Grants Loans Number of times reason given As percent of total times reason given Number of times reason given As percent of total times reason given Insufficient SF funds, priority too low 25 4.6 583 33.4 Suitable alternative available 4 0.7 17 1.0 Loan refused because CCG awarded n/a — 31 1.8 Other 350 64.9 85 4.9 539 1,745 Office: Middlesbrough ILO Savings over £500 sufficient to meet cost 7 0.6 3 0.1 Not in receipt of IS n/a — 283 8.1 Not in receipt of IS for 26 weeks n/a — 562 16.1 Not in receipt of IS and unlikely to become entitled 88 7.1 n/a — Excluded items 42 3.4 180 5.2 Excluded persons 67 5.4 3 0.1 Amount < £30 (not travelling expenses) 23 1.9 103 3.0 Total debt of £1,000 n/a n/a 3 0.1 Previous application and decision for the item 40 3.2 132 3.8 No serious damage or risk to health or safety n/a n/a 199 5.7 Inability to repay n/a n/a 77 2.2 Help available from another source 8 0.6 17 0.5 Insufficient SF funds, priority too low 124 10.0 1,600 45.8 Suitable alternative available 11 0.9 38 1.1 Loan refused because CCG awarded n/a — 128 3.7 Other 829 66.9 163 4.7 1,239 — 3,491 — Office: Redcar ILO Savings over £500 sufficient to meet cost 5 1.1 0 0.0 Not in receipt of IS n/a — 90 8.1 Not in receipt of IS for 26 weeks n/a — 273 24.5 Not in receipt of IS and unlikely to become entitled 56 12.1 n/a — Excluded items 30 6.5 84 7.5 Excluded persons 0 — 2 0.2 Amount < £30 (not travelling expenses) 14 3.0 31 2.8 Total debt of £1,000 n/a n/a 0 0.0 Previous application and decision for the item 8 1.7 36 3.2 No serious damage or risk to health or safety n/a n/a 40 3.6 Inability to repay n/a n/a 46 4.1 Help available from another source 5 1.1 19 1.7 Insufficient SF funds, priority too low 162 35.0 404 36.3 Suitable alternative available 1 0.2 1 0.1 Loan refused because CCG awarded n/a n/a 55 4.9 Other 182 39.3 32 2.9 463 — 1,113 — Office: Stockton ILO Savings over £500 sufficient to meet cost 3 0.2 1 .0 Not in receipt of IS 136 10.5 265 10.2 Not in receipt of IS for 26 weeks n/a n/a 453 17.5 Not in receipt of IS and unlikely n/a n/a — — to become entitled 136 10.5 n/a n/a Excluded items 49 3.8 149 5.7 Excluded persons 260 20.0 8 0.3
Grants Loans Number of times reason given As percent of total times reason given Number of limes reason given As percent of total times reason given Amount <£30 (not travelling expenses) 24 1.9 73 2.8 Total debt of £1,000 n/a — 0 .0 Previous application and decision for the item 65 5.0 117 4.5 No serious damage or risk to health or safety n/a n/a 134 5.2 Inability to repay n/a n/a 251 9.7 Help available from another source 13 1.0 39 1.5 Insufficient SF funds, priority too low 17 1.3 885 34.1 Suitable alternative available 2 0.2 10 0.4 Loan refused because CCG awarded n/a — 118 4.5 Other 588 45.3 91 3.5 1,293 2,594 n/a—Not applicable.
§ Mr. BattleTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if, further to his reply on 4 May,Official Report, column 220, he will categorise the reasons for the remaining social fund loan refusals and community care grant refusals for the year 11 April 1988 to 31 March 1989.
Reasons for refusal of Social Fund loans and grants 1988–89 Loans Grants Number of times reason given As a per cent, of all reasons for refusals Number of limes reason given As a per cent, of all reasons for refusals Savings over £500 sufficient to meet cost 938 0.3 2,498 1.7 Not in receipt of IS 35,613 9.6 n/a n/a Not in receipt of IS for 26 weeks 99,907 27.0 n/a n/a Not in receipt of IS and unlikely to become entitled n/a n/a 15,842 10.6 Excluded items 30,759 8.3 9,563 6.4 Excluded persons 1,094 0.3 13,734 9.2 Amount < £30 (not travelling expenses) 11,952 3.2 3,707 2.5 Total debt of £1,000 198 0.1 n/a n/a Previous application and SFO decision for this item 14,639 4.0 5,071 3.4 No serious danger or risk to health or safety 24,266 6.6 0 0.0 Inability to repay 14,971 4.0 0 0.0 Help available from another source 8,281 2.2 2,136 1.4 Insufficient SF funds, priority too low 84,027 22.7 13,419 9.0 Other agencies not providing back-up n/a n/a 85 0.1 Suitable alternative available 3,978 1.1 1,177 0.8 Loan refused—CC6 awarded 14,725 4.0 n/a n/a Other 25,113 6.8 82,400 55.1 Note: Percentage may sum to move than 100 due to rounding.