HC Deb 03 November 1998 vol 318 cc551-2W
Mr. Field

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is his estimate of the increase in the take-up of the disability working allowance as a result of the changes announced in "Support for Disabled People". [58123]

Mr. Timms

The information is not available.

Disability Working Allowance will be replaced by the Disabled Person's Tax Credit before the introduction of the changes announced in "Support for Disabled People".

Mr. Field

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will make a statement on his estimate of the increase in the numbers claiming means-tested benefits, as a result of the changes by benefit set out in "Support for Disabled People" for each of the first five years after implementation. [58127]

Mr. Timms

The information is not available in the format requested.

We do not expect any significant increase in the total numbers making a new claim for means-tested benefits as a result of the changes set out in the consultation document "Support for Disabled People".

Mr. Field

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is his estimate of the cost arising from an increased take-up of those services referred to in paragraph 17 of "Support for Disabled People". [58131]

Mr. Timms

Additional resources will be made available to meet the cost of possible increased take-up of training and other services in the single gateway pilots. Detailed work on costs is still being undertaken. An important reason for piloting the single gateway is to measure any additional take-up of services and the associated costs in order to inform decisions about national implementation.

Mr. Field

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many people under 20 claiming the severe disablement allowance will also be(a) eligible and (b) claiming income support after he has introduced the changes set out in Support for Disabled People. [58126]

Mr. Timms

The information is not available in the form requested.

It is estimated that, after the introduction of the proposed changes set out in the Consultation Paper "Support for Disabled People", there will be approximately 8,000 new claims for Incapacity Benefit a year from people under the age of 20 who are disabled from birth or early in life or long term sick and who cannot work. In the first year of their claim, Income Support will provide a higher rate of benefit and at any one time about 6,000 are likely to receive it. After a year, they will receive a higher rate of Incapacity Benefit of (£78.30 at April 1998 rates) which, in most cases, will remove the need for Income Support.

Those young people aged 16 to 19 who are on Severe Disablement Allowance at the point of change will also be transferred to the new higher rate of benefit after one year. It is estimated that approximately 14,000 of that group will receive Income Support prior to transfer.