§ Mr. ButterfillTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will make a statement about the treatment of charitable and voluntary payments in the income-related benefits.
§ Mrs. Gillian ShephardWe propose to double to £10 a week the current disregard for charitable and voluntary payments made to people in receipt of an income-related benefit. In addition, we intend to disregard completely any regular charitable or voluntary payment which is intended and used for an item other than certain accommodation costs already met by benefit, food, ordinary clothing or footwear, and household fuel.
Regulations will be introduced shortly to give effect to both these proposals in income support and family credit from April 1990. Housing benefit and community charge benefit regulations will also provide for a £10 a week disregard from April 1990 and for a disregard of regular payments for certain items from October 1990.
These proposals will enable charities, voluntary bodies and relatives to give more help to people without affecting their benefits.