§ Mr. HinchliffeTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how premiums available to disabled income support claimants assist low-income disabled persons unable to claim support.
§ Mr. BurtPremiums that are available to income support claimants are also included in the calculation of housing benefit and community charge benefit. This increases the level of those benefits for low-income disabled people not entitled to income support.
§ Mr. HinchliffeTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) if he will introduce legislation to provide a determination of an individual disabled person's financial needs, based on the additional costs associated with disability; (2) how present benefit systems provide financial support to disabled persons with special dietary needs; (3) what additional measures he is considering to meet the income requirements of the disabled; (4) if he will review benefits available to the disabled in order to consider degrees of disability.
§ Mr. ScottIn 1984–85 the Department of Social Security commissioned the Office of Population Censuses and Surveys to carry out a major independent survey of the circumstances of disabled people. On the basis of the368W OPCS findings, the Government announced in the 1990 Command Paper, "The Way Ahead", a phased package of measures aimed at improving provision for people with disabilities.
The improvements were targeted at those identified by OPCS as most in need: people with moderate to severe disabilities who did not qualify for attendance allowance or mobility allowance; those disabled early in life; and people who wished to gain independence by going out to work.
The Government introduced disability living allowance and disability working allowance as the most important element of the package of improvements, which also included adjustments to the qualifying criteria and improvements in the level of certain benefits.
A system of disability benefits which attempted to cover a whole range of specific needs would be far more complicated than the existing structure, both for claimants to understand and for staff to adjudicate and administer. A system based on the severity of a person's disability, taking no account of levels of need for help would be poorly targeted and would produce an unacceptably high number of losers.
The Government believe that the new structure of benefits for disabled people is the most appropriate to their needs and provides a more coherent and comprehensive system of disability benefits than ever before.
§ Mr. HinchliffeTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what plans he has to revise the 80 per cent. disability test for severe disability allowance.
§ Mr. HinchliffeTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will commission a study into the effectiveness of the current range of disabled persons' benefits in meeting needs previously addressed by supplementary benefits additional payments.
§ Mr. HinchliffeTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what action he will take to increase the take-up of disability working allowance.
§ Mr. ScottWe shall be continuing the campaign to promote awareness of the benefit by writing individually to people receiving some of the qualifying benefits; offering advice and training to employers, advisers and welfare organisations and placing features in the specialist and local press.
§ Mr. HinchliffeTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many appeals are currently outstanding on disability working allowance.
§ Mr. HinchliffeTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what would be the estimated cost of providing a carer for every disabled person; and what is the actual annual expenditure made available for non-professional carers.
§ Mr. ScottInvalid care allowance provides an income maintenance benefit, at a cost of £262 million in 1991–92, for carers who forgo the opportunity of full-time employment to care for a severely disabled person who receives either the highest or middle rate care component of disability living allowance or attendance allowance. It is not possible to estimate the cost of providing a level of care in the unspecified circumstances described by the hon. Member.
§ Mr. HinchliffeTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what plans he has to extend payments of disablement living allowance to persons under the age of five years and over the age of 65 years.
§ Mr. ScottWe have no plans to do so. There are no age limits for the receipt of disability living allowance once it has been awarded and the care component is already available to children under the age of five years. Attendance allowance is available to those becoming disabled after the age of 65.
§ Mr. HinchliffeTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will abolish the residency test for severe disablement allowance.