Income Support (Hansard, 13 December 1994)

§ Mr. Dewar
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) whether the restrictions to income support assistance with mortgage interest payments from(a) April 1995 and (b) October 1995 will apply equally to households claiming (i) a disability premium, (ii) a severe disability premium, (iii) a carer's premium, (iv) a disabled child premium, (v) disability living allowance, (vi) the higher rate care component of disability living allowance, (vii) a lone parent premium, (viii) a pensioner premium or (ix) people who are terminally ill;
(2) whether the restrictions on income support assistance with mortgage interest payments from (a) April 1995 and (b) October 1995 will apply equally to households where the claimant or partner is over 60 years of age;
(3) whether the restrictions in income support with mortgage interest payments from (a) April 1995 and (b) October 1995 will apply equally to households in which the claim has resulted from marital breakdown or the death of a spouse.

§ Mr. Roger Evans
The reduction in the capital limit to £100,000 from April 1995 will apply equally to all income support claimants except where a loan has been taken out to adapt a dwelling for the special needs of a disabled person. As now, any loan taken out for this
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A precise estimate of the impact of this change is not available. However we estimate that about 1,500² relatives and acquaintances will be affected.
¹Funeral payment qualifying benefits are income support, family credit, disability working allowance, housing benefit and council tax benefit.
²Less than 2 per cent. of all awards using 1993–94 figures.

§ Mr. Bradley
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many social fund grants were awarded for between(a) £10 and £100, (b) £200 and £400, (c) £400 and £600, (d) £600 and £800 and (e) thereafter up to the sum of £2,000 for funeral expenses, by region in each of the last three years.

§ Mr. Roger Evans
[holding answer 6 December 1994]: The information that is readily available is set out in the tables. It is by Benefits Agency territory.
purpose will not count toward the capital limit. A disabled person, for this purpose, is defined in the Income Support (General) Regulations 1987, S.I 1987 No. 1967, schedule 3 paragraph 7B. This definition will remain unchanged in April 1995.
The October 1995 changes will be subject to wide consultation and the position of particular groups will be considered during the consultation process. The position of pensioners will be protected.