HC Deb 17 October 1989 vol 158 cc106-11W
Mr. Allen McKay

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will list the changes made to social security benefits since April and those proposed to the end of 1989–90.

Mrs. Gillian Shephard

[holding answer 17 July 1989]: The information following lists the changes made to Social Security benefits since April 1989 and proposed changes to the end of 1989–90 which have been announced.

Date Change Legislation
1 April 1989 Amendments to the above scheme including the introductions of extra help for some pensioners from October. Housing Benefit (Community Charge Rebates) (Scotland) Amendment Regulations 1989 SI No 361 (S 37)
1 April 1989 Permit deductions from Income Support in respect of arrears of community charge in certain circumstances (Scotland). Community Charge (Deductions from Income Support) (Scotland) Regulations 1989 SI No 507 (S 59).
10 April 1989 Introduction of Retirement Allowance to Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit. Schedule 2 of the Social Security Act 1988.
10 April 1989 Annual Uprating of Social Security benefits. Social Security Benefits Uprating Order 1989 SI No 43. Social Security Benefits Up-rating Regulations 1989.
10 April 1989 Clarification of the definition of incapacity for the purpose of entitlement to the disability premium. Income Support (General) Amendment No 2 Regulations 1988 SI No 2022.
10 April 1989 Special Income Support provisions for people living in board and lodging accommodation removed. Accommodation charge met through Housing Benefit, boarders entitled to normal Income Support to cover living expenses. Income Support (General) Amendment Regulations No 4 1988 SI No 1445.
19 June 1989 Certain additional days of entitlement to SSP to count as qualifying days towards entitlement to invalidity benefit. Social Security (Unemployment, Sickness and Invalidity Benefit) Amendment Regulations 1989 SI No 872.
19 June 1989 Persons incapable of work for two days within a period of six consecutive days because of treatment by way of plasmapheresis chemotherapy with cytotoxic drugs or radiotherapy to qualify for incapacity benefits even when treatment is not on a weekly basis. Social Security (Unemployment, Sickness and Invalidity Benefit) Amendment Regulations 1989 SI No 872.
10 July 1989 Disregard of part of student's grant income for books and equipment raised from £220 to £234 for Family Credit purposes. Family Credit and Income Support (General) Amendment Regulations 1989 SI No 1034.
10 July 1989 To provide for the disregard in the calculation of Family Credit, Housing Benefit and Income Support payments made by local authorities under the Child Care Act 1980 and the Social Work (Scotland) Act 1968 to young people leaving care. Family Credit and Income Support (General) Amendment Regulations 1989 SI No. 1034.Housing Benefit (General) Amendment No. 3 Regulations 1989 SI No. 1017.
10 July 1989 Increase in personal allowance for all 16 to 17 year old Housing Benefit claimants to £27.40. Housing Benefit (General) Amendment No. 3 Regulations 1989 SI No. 1017.
10 July 1989 Extension of entitlement for people aged 16 to 17 and people in relevant education who are of necessity living away from their parents. Family Credit and Income Support (General) Amendment Regulation 1989 SI No. 1034.
10 July 1989 Increases in applicable amount for some claimants aged 16 to 17. Family Credit and Income Support (General) Amendment Regulation 1989 SI No. 1034.
10 July 1989 Eligibility for all urgent cases including asylum seekers to premiums where the normal conditions are satisfied. Family Credit and Income Support (General) Amendment Regulation 1989 SI No. 1034.
10 July 1989 Further amendments to Community Charge Rebates in Scotland. Housing Benefit (Community Charge Rebates) (Scotland) No. 2 Amendment Regulations 1989 SI No. 972 (S 95).
21 July 1989 Substitutes the concept of entitlement for payment into Attendance Allowance in Section 35 of the Social Security Act 1975. Schedule 8 of Social Security Act 1989.
August 1989 Controls subsidy paid to local authorities in certain special cases. Housing Benefit (Permitted Totals) Amendment Order 1989
September 1989 Special transitional provisions for the smooth implementation of the Community Charge Benefit scheme Community Charge Benefits (Transitional) Order 1989.
Date Change Legislation
1 October 1989 Abolition of State Retirement Pension Earnings rule. Clause 7 and Schedule 1 of Social Security Bill 1989.
9 October 1989 Days on which duties as a councillor performed to be treated as days of incapacity for work for sickness and invalidity benefit and severe disablement allowance purposes. Paragraph 2 of Schedule 8 of Social Security Act 1989.
9 October 1989 Extension of upper age limit for payment of mobilty allowance from 75 to 80. Schedule 8 of Social Security Act 1989.
9 October 1989 Personal Pensions to be treated as earnings for purposes of dependants earnings rule. Schedule 9 of Social Security Act 1989.
9 October 1989 Liability of non-custodial parents to maintain a child for Income Support and Social Fund purposes extended to include children aged 16, 17 and 18. Schedule 5 of Social Security Act 1989.
9 October 1989 Introduce 'enhanced' pensioner premium for pensioners aged 75 and over and uprate higher pensioner premium. Provide for continued award of higher pensioner premium if maximum age for award of qualifying benefit is reached or if retirement pension is awarded. Increased higher pensioner premium for people aged 60 to 74. Housing Benefit (General) Amendment Regulations 1989 SI No 416 Income Support (General) Amendment Regulations 1989 SI No 534.
9 October 1989 Transitional protection to be unaffected by increases in pensioner premiums. Regulations in preparation.
9 October 1989 Provisions for seasonal workers' earnings will be removed, so they will be treated like other claimants' earnings. Draft Income Support (General) Amendment No 2 Regulations 1989 (SI No N/A).
9 October 1989 Payment of compensation received on termination of employment without due notice to be taken into account. Income Support (General) Amendment No 2 Regulations 1989 (SI No N/A).
9 October 1989 Changes in Unemployment Benefit; (i) abatement of Unemployment benefit in respect of personal pensions; (ii) concept of 'actively seeking work; (iii) conditions for requalifi-cation after benefit is exhausted; (iv) treatment of payments in lieu of notice; (v) restricted availability; (vi) introduction of permitted period and taking up employment on trial; (vii) removal of the concept of 'suitable employment', putting the accent on 'good cause'. Schedule 8–12 of Social Security Act 1989.
9 October 1989 Special IS provision for hostel dwellers removed. Help with accommodation charge through HB, hosted dwellers entitled to normal IS to cover living expenses. Income Support (General) Amendment Regulations 1989 (SI No 534).
Autumn 1989 Removal of special conditions for seasonal workers. Draft Social Security (Unemployment, Sickness and Invalidity Benefit) Amendment No 2 Regulations 1989 (SI No N/A).
Autumn 1989 Introduction of an upper weekly earnings limit for Unemployment Benefit Not known.
Autumn 1989 Introduction of a de minimus level on the application of the 'Full Extent Normal' rule for Unemployment Benefit Not known.
Autumn 1989 Regulations requiring local authorities to refer appropriate cases to the rent officer. Regulations to be made under provisions contained in clause 15 of the Social Security Bill.
1 April 1990 Introduction of Community Charge Benefit throughout Great Britain. Community Charge Benefits (General) Regulations 1989.
1 April 1990 Permit deductions from Income Support in respect of arrears of community charge in certain circumstances. Community Charges (Deductions from Income Support) Regulations 1989.
Date Change Legislation
April 1990 £5 a week disregard of war Disablement Pension and War Widow's Pension to be increased to £10 for Income Support purposes. Not known.