HC Deb 04 April 2000 vol 347 c453W
Mr. Dismore

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what plans he has to extend the disregard of War Disablement and War Widows' Pensions for income related benefits; and if he will make a statement. [117209]

Mr. Bayley

Mandatory disregards for War Disablement and War Widow's Pensions already exist in income related benefits. The disregards strike the right balance between acknowledging the special reasons for these pensions and prudent use of public funds. We have no plans to extend the disregard of War Disablement and War Widows' Pension.

Mr. Dismore

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will list the local authorities which do not operate a total disregard of War Disablement and War Widows' Pensions, in relation to(a) housing and (b) council tax benefit. [117226]

Mr. Bayley

The information requested is not available and can be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

£ million
Income Support Housing Benefit Council Tax Benefit Total
Expenditure on people newly entitled to benefit 35 1— 1— 35
Expenditure on people who see benefit income increased (gainers) 25 50 30 105
Total 60 50 30 140
1 Negligible costs

Notes:

  1. 1. Income Support gainers are all those with capital between £3,000 and £8,000. Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit gainers are all those with capital between £3,000 and £16,000.
  2. 2. Tariff income is calculated in the same way as before, but starting from the £6,000 capital limit.
  3. 3. Costs are given for benefits in 2001–02, and are rounded to the nearest £5 million.
  4. 4. The £140 million cost relates to Great Britain only.

Mr. Burstow

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what estimate he has made of the number of beneficiaries of the uprating of the lower and upper capital limits for income support; and on what assumptions. [117519]

Mr. Bayley

We expect around 500,000 pensioners to gain from increasing the lower and upper capital limits for Income Support.

This estimate is based on figures obtained from the Policy Simulation Model (PSM) for Income Related benefits, based on 1997–98 Family Resources Survey data. This is uprated to reflect 2000–01 prices and benefit levels.