Respite Care (Hansard, 21 July 1998)

§ Mr. Denham

The administration of Retirement Pension and Attendance Allowance is a matter for Peter Mathison, the Chief Executive of the Benefits Agency. He will write to the hon. Member.

Letter from John Codling to Mr. Paul Keetch, dated 20 July 1998: The Secretary of State for Social Security has asked Peter Mathison to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question asking what criteria benefits agencies are required to follow when making payments of retirement pension (RP) and attendance allowance (AA) to those who are taking regular respite care. As Mr. Mathison is on annual leave, I am replying. The Benefits Agency is required to apply the legislation governing the payment of benefits to customers in respite care. 497W Payment of AA will not be affected by respite care unless the time spent in such care is greater than twenty eight days. If the first period spent in respite care is twenty eight days or less, AA will only be affected if the customer re-enters respite care during the following twenty eight days. Periods spent in respite care not interrupted by a period of more than twenty eight days are added together. When the time spent in such care totals twenty eight days, AA is withdrawn from the next pay day unless those circumstances no longer apply. Payment of RP will not be affected unless the time spent in respite care is greater than forty two days, after which time benefit is reduced. A further reduction is made after fifty two weeks in respite care. If the first period spent in respite care is forty two days or less, RP will only be affected if the customer re-enters respite care during the following twenty eight days. Periods spent in respite care not interrupted by a period of more than twenty eight days are added together. When the time spent in respite care adds up to twenty eight days, RP is reduced from the next pay day unless those circumstances no longer apply. I hope that this is helpful.