§ Mr. HinchliffeTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many appeals were made against a refusal of income support towards care home fees following an adjudication officer's decision that the capital value of the claimant's property cannot be disregarded after 26 weeks; and what were the results of the appeals.
§ Miss WiddecombeThe information requested is not readily available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
§ Mr. HinchliffeTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security on how many occasions during the last financial year his Department disregarded the capital value of property owned by care home residents who had been in receipt of income support payments towards their fees for more than 26 weeks.
§ Miss WiddecombeThe administration of income support is a matter for Michael Bichard, the chief executive of the Benefits Agency. I understand from him that the information is not available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
§ Mr. HinchliffeTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what guidelines govern the circumstances in which representatives of his Department communicate with the owners of managers of private care homes with regard to the financial circumstances of residents in receipt of income support towards care home fees.
§ Miss WiddecombeIt is not possible to specify every such circumstance. Two instances when departmental representatives can communicate directly with mangers or owners of private care homes are when the manager or owner of the home is the income support customer's appointee or if an income support customer has given consent for specific information to be collected from the manager or owner of the home.