§ Mr. DenhamTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many new claims were made in the last 475W available year for war pensioner's mobility supplement; and how many of these were (a) successful and (b) unsuccessful. [9338]
§ Mr. HealdIn the 12 months ending September 1996, the last period for which figures are available, there were 3,351 claims made in respect of war pensioner's mobility supplement. During the same period 4,435 decisions on claims for the supplement were made, of which 2,619 resulted in awards. The decisions made in any one period may not necessarily relate to the claims made during the same period.
§ Mr. DenhamTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many individuals currently receive the war pensioner's mobility supplement; what is the average amount paid per recipient; and what is the total amount paid each year as a percentage of total social security expenditure. [9337]
§ Mr. HealdAs at 30 September 1996, the last date for which figures are available, 23,602 war pensioners were receiving mobility supplement. The current amount payable is a flat rate of £37.75 weekly. Expenditure on mobility supplement is estimated at £45 million in 1996–97. This amounts to 0.05 per cent. of total social security expenditure.
§ Mr. DenhamTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what are the expected savings from the proposed changes to war pensions(a) in total and (b) for each proposed change, indicating the percentage of total social security expenditure in each case. [9335]
§ Mr. HealdThe information is not available in the format requested. Such information as is available is in the table.
476W
Programme savings (£ million cash prices) 1997–98 1998–99 1999–20001 War pensions mobility supplement 40 per cent, disablement gateway 1 (0.001 per cent.) 3 (0.003 per cent.) 4 Allowance for lowered standard 40 per cent. disablement gateway Unemployability supplement 80 per cent. disablement gateway 1 (0.001 per cent.) 3 (0.003 per cent.) 5 combined for all four options Unemployability supplement no claims from over age 65 Widows rent allowance - no new claims negligible saving Cease reminders to return claim forms 2 (0.002 per cent.) 3 (0.003 per cent.) 4 No copy decisions to third parties not costed Abandon long-term assessment (LTA) 0 0 0 Require evidence to justify review + neg. 0.5 (neg per cent.) 1 Backdating—new rules 3 (0.003 per cent.) 3 (0.003 per cent.) 3 Align payment start dates negligible cost Automatic War Widows Pension for 80 per cent. and Unemployability supplement cases. War Widows pension -1 (0.001 per cent.) -1 (0.001 per cent. 1
Programme savings (£ million cash prices) 1997–98 1998–99 1999–20001 restoration for cohabitees negligible cost Abolition of gratuities on remarriage/cohabitation not yet costed Clothing allowance one rate (the higher) 0.5 (neg per cent. 0.5 (neg per cent.) -0.5 Funeral grants for 80 per cent. and Unemployability supplement cases negligible cost Remove rank differentials for gratuities -0.5 (neg per cent. -0.5 (neg per cent.) -0.5 Total 5(0.006 per cent.) 10 (0.012 per cent. 15 1 Expenditure figures are not available for 1999–2000. 1. Negligible = Less than £250,000.
2. All amounts are rounded to the nearest 0.001 per cent.
3. Figures may not sum due to rounding.
4. A minus sign indicates a cost.
§ Mr. DenhamTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many recipients of war disablement pension failed to apply for a pension increase in the five most recent years for which figures are available; and how many increased awards were paid to recipients of war disablement pensions in each of those years. [9331]
§ Mr. HealdA war disablement pension may be increased for a range of reasons; for example; as a result of uprating of age changes which are made automatically or because the pensioner's service-related disablement has increased. In the latter case, the war pensioner may ask the Secretary of State to review his assessment of the degree of disablement. Information on the number of war pensioners whose disablement has increased but who have not required such a review is not available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
Information in the table shows the number of awards increased following request for a review.
- 1991–92: 13,699
- 1992–93: 13,196
- 1993–94: 14,204
- 1994–95: 18,576
- 1995–96: 14,514
§ Mr. DenhamTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what estimate he has made of the number of war veterans who would cease to be entitled to the war pensioner's mobility supplement if the 20 per cent. disability threshold for entitlement were raised to 40 per cent. [9333]
§ Mr. HealdIt is estimated that, annually, 800 war pensioners with disablement assessments below 40 per cent. would no longer qualify.
No one already in receipt of mobility supplement at the point of the proposed change would be affected.
§ Mr. DenhamTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what estimate he has made of the number of war veterans who would cease to be entitled to the unemployability supplement if the 20 per cent. disability threshold were raised to 80 per cent. [9332]
477W
§ Mr. HealdIt is estimated that about 400 new claims for unemployability supplement would not succeed if the threshold for disablement were raised to 80 per cent. No war pensioner currently receiving the allowance would be affected.
§ Mr. DenhamTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many new claims for war pensions were made in the last available year by(a) men and (b) women aged over 65 years. [9334]
§ Mr. HealdIn the period October 1995 to 30 September 1996, a total of 27,215 new claims for war disablement pension were made. The number of claims made by men and women aged over 65 is not available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
§ Mr. DenhamTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many reminder notices for returning forms claiming pension increases were issued to war pensioners in each of the last five years. [9330]
§ Mr. Alfred MorrisTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if there will be a waiver of the seven-year rule for unconditional claiming of war pensions following discharge in the case of Gulf war veterans whose entitlements will not be determined until the conclusion of the studies he has commissioned into Gulf war illnesses; and if he will make a statement. [9173]
§ Mr. HealdNo. Such a waiver is unnecessary. Anyone who considers that disablement may be due to service in the Gulf may claim a war pension at any time. Where a claim is made within seven years of termination of service there is no onus on the claimant to show that disablement is due to service. Even where a claim is made more than seven years after termination of service, it is only necessary for there to be reliable evidence to create a reasonable doubt that disablement might be due to or aggravated by service. The benefit of that reasonable doubt is always given to the claimant.
The Secretary of State may review a decision to reject a claim at any time and on any ground. Where a claim made within seven years of termination of service is later reviewed the same conditions which applied at the time the claim was made apply to the review.