HC Deb 07 February 1990 vol 166 cc682-3W
Mr. Ashley

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many people who are in receipt of severe disablement allowance are(a) in receipt of income support and (b) in receipt of another means-tested benefit.

Mr. Scott

I refer the right hon. Member to my reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Exeter (Mr. Hannam) on 7 February 1990 at columns 577–78.

Mr. Ashley

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many people who are in receipt of severe disablement allowance will gain an increase in their real disposable income as a result of the new proposed age-related additions to severe disablement allowance.

Mr. Scott

I refer the right hon. Member to my reply to the hon. Member for Oldham, West (Mr. Meacher) on 19 January at columns 483–84.

Mr. Ashley

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is his Department's estimate of the number of disabled people who have extra costs above the existing rates of attendance and mobility allowance.

Mr. Scott

The most up-to-date information available is contained in the 1985 Office of Population Censuses and Surveys' surveys of disabled adults and disabled children in private households and shows that about 95,000 recipients of attendance allowance or mobility allowance reported additional disability-related expenditure in excess of the amounts of those benefits which they were receiving. That takes no account of any additional help with disability-related costs which they may have been receiving through other benefits, including supplementary benefit. About 700,000 recipients of attendance allowance and mobility allowance reported additional disability-related expenditure that was less than the amounts of benefit received. The 1988 social security reforms have since introduced extra help specifically for disabled people on the lowest incomes.

Mr. Ashley

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what plans he has to increase the level of severe disablement allowance to the level of basic invalidity benefit in line with the Social Security Advisory Committee's recommendation.

Mr. Scott

The Social Security Bill currently before the House introduces age-related additions to severe disablement allowance. We have no present plans to bring the rate of the allowance up to the level of invalidity benefit.