HC Deb 17 January 1991 vol 183 cc588-9W
Mr. Flynn

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what the percentage increase will be in April in the combined value of child dependency increase and child benefit payable to a widow or invalidity pensioner for the first child and each subsequent child in the family.

Mr. Jack

The total amount payable to a widow or invalidity pensioner by way of child benefit and child dependency increase will be increased by 6.2 per cent. from £16.90 to £17.95 per child from April.

Mr. Flynn

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what was the combined value of child dependency increase and child benefit for the child of a widow or invalidity pensioner at current and April 1991 prices and as a percentage of average earnings, in November 1979 and at each subsequent uprating date; and what was the reason for any fall in real value since November 1979.

Mr. Jack

The values of child dependency increase and child benefit for the child of a widow or invalidity pensioner at current and April 1990 prices (the latest April figure available) and as percentage of average earnings are shown in the table.

legislation and that governing the uprating of benefits provide for the rate of child benefit to be taken into account when determining the levels of child dependency increases of benefits. The method of doing this is to calculate what the child dependency increase would be if the general uprating percentage were applied, and then to deduct any cash increase in child benefit.

Forward to