§ 19. Mr. BowisTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will review the current ruling that hospices must make a compulsory charge to patients before patients can claim benefit to pay for a contribution to the running of the hospice.
§ Miss WiddecombeIncome support is a personal benefit intended to meet a claimant's day-to-day living costs. It 57W would be inappropriate to pay the higher rates of income support intended to meet the fees for nursing homes in cases where no fees are charged. People in hospices who do not have to pay a charge can claim the normal rates of income support, from which they may make a contribution to the hospice if they wish.