§ Mr. BurstowTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what assessment she has made of the advantages of sending to each recipient of invalid care allowance information on the discount for council tax bills that is available to carers; and what estimate she has made of the cost of sending such a mailing. [6457]
Regulated Scheme Discretionary fund Year Maternity payments Funeral payments Cold weather payments Community care grants1 Budgeting loans1 Crisis loans1 1991–92 101 706 6 281 217 62 1992–93 101 789 6 314 226 65 1993–94 101 873 6 322 239 64 1994–95 101 924 7 340 255 65 1995–96 101 791 8.50 351 271 66 1 Does not include awards on review.
§ Mr. BurstowTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what plans she has to(a) revise the criteria for awarding and (b) increase the amount of moneys available to the social fund. [6969]
§ Mr. Keith BradleyThe Social Fund is made up of two parts; the regulated and discretionary schemes. The regulated scheme is based on rules of entitlement and payments are not cash limited. Discretionary Social Fund payments are made from a national cash limited budget which is allocated to individual Benefits Agency District Offices.
The overall size of the gross discretionary Social Fund budget, and its allocation, is decided annually. It depends principally on the size of loan recoveries expected during the course of each coming year plus planned new provision voted for each year.
Details of the annual gross budget for the discretionary Social Fund and the principles used for its allocation are placed in the Library in March each year. The allocations principles will be reviewed as part of each annual budget setting exercise.
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§ Mr. DenhamWe will streamline services to provide better, simpler more efficient services to clients.
There would be little advantage in writing to all recipients of Invalid Care Allowance because, although there may be some overlap, the criteria for entitlement to that benefit and to the council tax discount for carers differ significantly.
The cost of such an exercise is likely to be in the region of £80,000—£105,000.
§ Mr. BurstowTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if foster carers can claim(a) incapacity benefit, (b) invalid care allowance and (c) other non-means tested benefits and in what circumstances. [6968]
§ Mr. DenhamWe will streamline services to provide better, simpler more efficient services to clients.
Foster carers can claim Incapacity Benefit, Severe Disablement Allowance, Invalid Care Allowance, Disability Living Allowance, Attendance Allowance and other non means tested benefits provided they meet the normal eligibility criteria for these benefits.