HC Deb 24 July 2002 vol 389 cc1577-8W
Mr. Caton

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will define more precisely the term "exceptional pressure" in Direction Four criteria for community care grant applications. [71212]

Malcolm Wicks

Guidance for decision makers on my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State's Social Fund Direction Four is in the Social Fund Guide, a copy of which is available in the Library. The guidance makes clear that the term "exceptional pressure" is designed to encompass a wide variety of special circumstances. However, the guidance does not attempt to give priority to different sets of circumstances or types of application because this would limit the decision maker's discretion and penalise or deter those applicants who have urgent need but whose circumstances do not fit into a pre-defined category.

Mr. Caton

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (1) what plans he has to ensure that applicants for community care grants throughout the United Kingdom have equal access to these grants at all times; [71211]

(2) what plans the Government have to review the allocation of community care grants by the Benefits Agency when prioritising applicants. [72085]

Malcolm Wicks

The community care grant scheme is administered through 127 cash-limited District budgets. The discretionary nature of the scheme means that there will always be variation in the amounts awarded depending on location, because customers' characteristics, needs and priorities are not directly comparable across areas. Budget allocations are designed to anticipate as far as possible, the nature and extent of local demand in order to achieve consistency in decision making. The scheme is kept under close review during the year to monitor the extent to which this objective is met.

It is for each District to set the level of priority that can be met from their community care grant allocation. All Districts are required to give priority to high priority needs throughout the period of the allocation, working within the boundaries of the Secretary of State's directions and guidance.

Mr. Caton

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what plans he has to ensure that applicants for(a) community care grants and (b) budgeting loans will be provided with adequate information explaining their award or refusal. [71215]

Malcolm Wicks

Anyone who applies for a community care grant or a budgeting loan receives a written explanation about their decision, together with a telephone number for them to contact a decision maker if they require further explanation. In addition, budgeting loan decision notifications include a calculation sheet which sets out in clear stages how the final decision has been reached.

Mr. Kirkwood

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the average community care grant was for(a) high and (b) medium priority awards in each year since 1997 in (i) cash and (ii) real terms. [53040]

Malcolm Wicks

We have increased the community care grant budget four times since 1997. The latest rise, of almost five per cent from £103 million in 2001–02 to £108 million for the current year, was above the level of inflation.

Information on grant expenditure by priority could be provided only at disproportionate cost.