HL Deb 16 October 2000 vol 617 cc65-6WA
Lord Morris of Manchester

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Further to the Answer by the Lord McIntosh of Haringey on 27 September, by what amounts they estimate that disability benefits and the income support entitlements of frail elderly people went unclaimed in the year 1998–99. [HL3853]

The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of Social Security (Baroness Hollis of Heigham)

There are no estimates of take-up rates for Disability Living Allowance (DLA) and Attendance Allowance (AA) for 1998–99. However, the number of people receiving Disability Living Allowance and Attendance Allowance continues to increase, as the table indicates. In addition we expect take-up of benefits to increase, as a result of the Minimum Income Guarantee campaign, ONE, and the Incapacity Benefit Keeping in Touch project.

People receiving DLA or AA (thousands) Percentage increase
DLA February 1997 1,853
DLA February 2000 2,110 14
AA February 1997 1,166
AA February 2000 1,242 7

The Minimum Income Guarantee will help the poorest pensioners. A single pensioner will now be at least £280 a year better off than in April 1999. Around 1.5 million pensioners are already gaining. We estimate some 500,000 pensioners have not yet claimed the Minimum Income Guarantee, so the Government have launched a national take-up campaign to encourage them to claim.

Source: DSS 5 per cent sample data.