§ Mr. LaxtonTo ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (1) how many people in the United Kingdom are in receipt of long-stay patients' benefit; [51541]
480W(2) how many people in the United Kingdom are in receipt of long- stay patient benefit. [51544]
§ Mr. McCartneyThe information is not available in the format requested. Such information as is available is as follows:
As at 30 September 2001 there were 10,000 retirement pensioners whose pension had been reduced because they had been in hospital for more than 52 weeks.
As at 30 November 2001 there were 13,000 incapacity benefit and severe disablement allowance recipients whose benefit was reduced due to them being in hospital for more than 52 weeks.
As at 30 November 2001 there were 3,000 income support recipients who had their benefit reduced due to being in hospital for more than 52 weeks.
The hospital downrating rules prevents double provision from public funds as the publicly funded NHS maintains people while they stay in hospital as well as providing free treatment. Social security maintenance benefits are also paid from state funds. They are therefore not paid in full indefinitely where a person is in a NHS hospital and having their day to day living expenses met through the NHS.
The double provision principle is a key cornerstone of the system of national insurance introduced over 50 years ago.