§ Mr. ChaytorTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what plans he has to amend the Social Security (Overlapping Benefits) Regulations 1979 to mitigate their impact on recipients of invalid care allowance who lose their benefit on reaching retirement age. [66351]
§ Mr. BayleyIt is a basic principle of the Social Security system that only one benefit at a time can be paid for income maintenance. Retirement Pension is an income replacement benefit for those who have reached pensionable age. It replaces Invalid Care Allowance at pension age. Invalid Care Allowance provides a measure of financial support to those who give up the opportunity of full-time paid employment to care for a severely disabled person. It is not an "extra-costs" benefit. To pay both benefits in full therefore would duplicate provision for the same need. There are no plans to change these arrangements.