HC Deb 18 November 1992 vol 214 cc252-3W
Mrs. Ewing

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is his estimate of the cost of(a) raising the level of invalid care allowance to that of (i) retirement pension, (ii) unemployment benefit and (iii) two thirds national average earnings, (b)(i) increasing the earnings limit for invalid care allowance to the lower earnings limit for paying national insurance contributions and (ii) abolishing the earnings limit for invalid care allowance altogether and (c) continuing payment of invalid care allowance to carers for a period of (i) eight weeks and (ii) six months after they have finished caring.

Mr. Scott

The information requested is in the tables.

£ million
a. The estimated cost of raising the level of invalid care allowance in 1992–93 to that of
i. Retirement pension 156
ii. Unemployment benefit 79
iii. two thirds national average earnings 1,284
c. The estimated cost of paying invalid care allowance after caring ceases for
i. eight weeks 8.2
ii. six months 26.5

Note: Data are not available on the number of potential claimants with earnings above the current earnings limit.

Mrs. Ewing

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is his estimate of the cost of(a) extending entitlement to the carer premium in income support to carers over 65 years who could establish underlying entitlement to invalid care allowance, (b) extending entitlement to invalid care allowance to those caring for a person who receives the lower rate care component of the disability living allowance and (c) restoring credits for short-term national insurance benefits through invalid care allowance.

Mr. Scott

Entitlement to the carer premium in income support depends upon entitlement to invalid care allowance which cannot be established after age 65. Data are not available to estimate the cost of extending the carer premium in this way.

The estimated cost of extending entitlement to invalid care allowance to those caring for a person who receives the lower rate component of disability living allowance would depend on the number of such beneficiaries who receive at least 35 hours care per week. The estimated maximum cost of this measure would be around £130 million in 1992–93.

Depending on eligibility criteria, credits already available to invalid care allowance recipients enable them to qualify for certain short-term national insurance benefits.

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