§ Mr. O'BrienTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will make a statement on his policy on the treatment of cash in lieu of fuel payments as income in respect of housing benefits, following the recent tribunal decision in respect of an applicant in Bridgend.
§ Mrs. Gillian ShephardIn the income-related benefits, the normal rule is for all forms of income to be taken into account. Regulations provide for certain types of income to be disregarded, in part or in full. Cash in lieu of concessionary fuel is not specified as disregardable income, and therefore is taken fully into account in the calculation of housing benefit and the other income-related benefits. Local authorities have no discretion in this matter. The decision made by a social security appeal tribunal in the Bridgend case is not binding on any other case, nor on the housing benefit scheme, since tribunals have no power to review local authorities' decisions.