§ Mr. SillarsTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what state benefits are discounted when assessments are made of the income of applicants for discretionary rebate benefits such as poll tax and housing benefit.
§ Miss WiddecombeHousing benefit and community charge benefit are statutory benefits and people on income support have entitlement to maximum benefit in each case.
Community charge benefit is disregarded when calculating entitlement to housing benefit and vice versa. Otherwise, social security benefits are taken into account, except for mobility allowance, constant attendance allowance, attendance allowance and any resettlement benefit or social fund payment.
Mobility supplement and constant attendance allowance which is paid as part of a war disability pension. are also disregarded. There is a statutory £10 weekly disregard of a war widow's or war disablement pension, and local authorities have discretion of disregard in excess of this amount. Special payments to pre-1973 war widows are fully disregarded.