§ Mr. KirkwoodTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will estimate the current monetary value of the capital thresholds for eligibility for income support; and where these have been indexed if he will give the date they were set at(a) £3,000 and (b) £8,000. [3623]
§ Mr. Roger EvansThe income support capital threshold of £3,000 was introduced in April 1988 and the threshold of £8,000 was introduced in April 1990. Had these limits been indexed in line with prices since their respective dates of introduction, the levels that they would be in 1995–96 are set out in the table:
Income support capital thresholds indexed by prices Levels if indexed since introduction Current actual levels in 1995–96 £ by ROSSI £ by RPI £ Lower thresholds [...] 3,000 4,172 4,254 Upper threshold [...] 8,000 10,101 9,955
- 1. The lower capital limit of £3,000 is indexed from 1988 to 1995–96 and the upper capital limit of £8,000 is indexed from 1990 to 1995–96.
- 2. Indexation is based upon the yearly (September) CSO figures for ROSSI and RPI. The September figures are used because annual Social Security benefits uprating in April is based upon the ROSSI and RPI figures of the preceding September.
- 3. RPI is the CSO Retail Prices Index. ROSSI is the RPI minus adjustments for housing expenditure. ROSSI is the price index used for uprating most of the Income Support allowances and premiums.
- 4. No rounding has been assumed at each year so the results are presented to the nearest one pound.