§ Mr. FieldTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) how many people who have been awarded incapacity benefit since April 1995 and who do not have income from an occupational or private pension also receive one or more of income support, housing benefit and council tax benefit; [60701]
(2) how many people who have been awarded incapacity benefit since April 1995 also receive one or more of income support, housing benefit and council tax benefit. [60700]
§ Mr. TimmsAs at 31 May 1997 there were 664,000 Incapacity Benefit recipients in receipt of one or more of Income Support, Housing Benefit (HB) or Council Tax Benefit (CTB). Information is not available on the number of those whose benefit awards started after April 1995, or of those who do not have occupational or personal pensions.
Source:
1 per cent sample of the (HB/CTB) Housing Benefit Management Information System (which are rounded to nearest 10,000 and include estimates), and 5 per cent. sample of Income Support cases (rounded to nearest 1,000).
§ Mr. OatenTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, pursuant to his oral statement of 28 October 1998,Official Report, column 339, if he will indicate the levels of (a) health insurance and (b) pension income thresholds that would lead to dis-entitlement of payment of incapacity benefit.[60590]
§ Mr. TimmsOur proposal is to reduce Incapacity Benefit by 50 per cent. of income in excess of £50.00 a week from occupational or personal pensions, or permanent health insurance arranged by an employer. This will apply to new claims only; existing claimants will not be affected.
The point at which entitlement to payment of Incapacity Benefit is extinguished will depend on the level of benefit payable.
At current rates someone qualifying for the basic rate of long-term Incapacity Benefit (£64.70 a week) would need pension income or permanent health insurance of £179.40 to have no entitlement to Incapacity Benefit, and would still have nearly £115.00 more weekly income than someone whose only income is Incapacity Benefit.
863WSomeone qualifying for an age addition of £6.80 and dependency increases for an adult (f38.70) and one child (£9.90) as well as the basic rate of long-term Incapacity Benefit (total £120.10 a week) would need pension income or permanent health insurance of £290.20 to have no entitlement to Incapacity Benefit, and would still have £170.00 more weekly income than someone whose only income is Incapacity Benefit.
§ Ms RyanTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many claimants for incapacity benefit have(a) been found fit to work following an examination by a BAMS doctor and (b) have had this decision overturned on (i) appeal and (ii) reviews. [60654]
§ Mr. TimmsBetween April 1995 and 31 August 1998, 321,791 claims for Incapacity Benefit were disallowed following examination under the All Work Test.
Up to 31 August 1998, 49,951 of these decisions had been reversed by an appeal tribunal and 2,797 on review by the adjudication officer following an appeal by the claimant.
§ Ms RyanTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many claimants for incapacity benefit who are from ethnic minority backgrounds have been found fit for work following examination by a BAMS doctor. [60655]