Social Fund (Hansard, 18 November 1991)

§ Mr. Nellist
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many claimants applied for grants or loans under the social fund during the 1990–91 financial year in Coventry; how many were turned down and for what reason; what was the average size of the grant, crisis loan or budgetary loan in the year; and if he will provide comparable figures for the first three and six months of 1991–92.

§ Mr. Scott
The administration of the social fund is a matter for Mr. Michael Bichard, the chief executive of the Benefits Agency. He will write to the hon. Member and copies will be placed in the Library and the Public Information Office.

§ Mr. Meacher
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will make inquiries to ascertain the number of districts currently paying social fund loans where there is considered to be serious risk to health and safety.

§ Mr. Scott
All Benefits Agency districts are currently paying social fund loans to applicants where there is considered to be a serious risk to health and safety.

§ Mr. Allen
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what social fund directions concerning the provision of assistance to people entering, or returning to, the United Kingdom from abroad have been issued in the last 18 months; and what they are, to whom they apply, the period for which they are in force and where they are published.

§ Mr. Scott
On 7 September 1990 special, temporary, arrangements were introduced to provide help from the social fund for people returning to or entering the United Kingdom, where the entry or return was as a result of war or hostilities in the country which they left. or a neighbouring country. These arrangements were made as a result of the Gulf crisis.
Details of the special arrangements were published in the main social security leaflet "Which Benefit" (FB2) and also in various other leaflets. The availability of this help was also mentioned in the annual report on the social fund 1990–91, Cm 1580, presented to Parliament by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State on 17 July 1991.
I have today sent the hon. Member a copy of the Secretary of State's directions, which give effect to the special arrangements, and a copy will be placed in the Library. The directions apply to any person who fulfils the conditions laid down in them. The directions will be withdrawn on 27 November, since the purpose for which they were put into place no longer exists. The directions are as follows: Settlement or resettlement loan Direction 3A. A Social Fund payment may be awarded to assist an eligible person to meet, for a temporary period following his entry or return to the United Kingdom from another country, reasonable settlement or resettlement expenses where his entry or return is a result of war or hostilities in that or a neighbouring country. Travel grant Direction 4A. A Social Fund payment may be awarded to assist an eligible person with reasonable travel, accommodation or subsistence expenses arising from his or a member of 82W his family's entry or return to the United Kingdom from another country where the entry or return is as a result of war or hostilities in that or a neighbouring country to the extent that those expenses have been or are likely to be necessarily incurred whilst in transit between the port of entry and his likely place of stay in the United Kingdom. Direction 6A. An award within direction 4A is referred to in these directions as a travel grant and shall not include a determination that it is repayable. Settlement or resettlement loans and travel grants (a) Eligibility Direction 29A. A person is eligible for a settlement or resettlement loan under direction 3A or a travel grant under direction 4A if he is aged 16 or over and the conditions of that direction are satisfied and the applicant has no available or insufficient resources to meet the expenses to which that direction relates at the date when the application is determined. (b) Effect of capital on settlement or resettlement loans Direction 29B. Where the total capital resources available to the applicant and his partner exceed £500 (£1,000 if the applicant or partner is aged 60 or over) any settlement or resettlement loan which would but for this direction be awarded, shall be awarded only to the extent that the amount exceeds the amount by which the available capital resources exceed £500 (£1,000 if the applicant or partner is aged 60 or over). (c) Maximum amounts Direction 29C. The maximum amounts which may be awarded—

(a) under direction 3A is £2,500 but, if an amount has already been awarded under that direction to the applicant or his partner, the maximum amount must not exceed the difference between any sum already repayable to the Social Fund by the applicant or his partner in respect of any award under that direction and £2,500;

(b) under direction 4A in respect of the applicant and each member of his family is £500."