HC Deb 30 March 2004 vol 419 cc1334-6W
Bob Spink

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will make it his policy to pay(a) bereavement benefit and (b) invalid care allowance without deductions arising from the payment of both benefits; and if he will make a statement. [164035]

Mr. Pond

It is a basic principle of the social security system that two benefits at a time cannot be paid for the same purpose. Even though the circumstances which give rise to entitlement to Carer's Allowance and Bereavement Benefit are different, they are both designed to provide a degree of replacement for lost or foregone income. Carer's Allowance replaces income where the carer has had to give up the chance of working to look after a severely disabled person, while Bereavement Benefit replaces income following the death of a spouse.

Carer's Allowance is therefore not payable, or not payable in full, in addition to Bereavement Benefit. The payment of Bereavement Benefit takes precedence, either extinguishing or reducing the payment of Carer's Allowance. Nevertheless, the income of a person in these circumstances will be at least as high as the rate of Carer's Allowance, and is usually higher. In addition, where the benefit cannot be paid, the person will keep underlying entitlement to Carer's Allowance, which gives them access to the carer premium in the income-related benefits such as Income Support, Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit.

We have no plans to change these arrangements.

Hugh Bayley

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (1) how many individuals living in(a) York and (b) North Yorkshire were in receipt of (i) state retirement pension and (ii) other benefits in (A) 1997 and (B) each year since then; [162961]

(2) how many claims for benefits and pensions were made by people living in (a) York and (b) North Yorkshire in each year since 1997. [162977]

Key benefit recipients over state pension age by benefit combination in York
Benefits 19991 20001 20011 20021 20031
State Pension 27,300 26,900 27,000 27,300 26,700
State Pension and DLA 900 1,000 1,000 1,100 1,100
State Pension and AA 2,200 2,200 2,200 2,400 2,300
State Pension, MIG/Pension Credit 1,800 2,000 2,200 2,100 2,800
State Pension, MIG/Pension Credit and DLA *200 *200 *200 *200 *300
State Pension, MIG/Pension Credit and AA 1,000 1,000 900 1,000 1,100
Other combinations *400 *200 *200 *300 *200
All 33,800 33,500 33,700 34,400 34,500

Key benefit recipients over state pension age by benefit combination in North Yorkshire
Benefits 19991 20001 20011 20021 20031
State Pension 90,600 90,200 90,100 90,300 89,500
State Pension and DLA 3,000 3,300 3,800 3,800 4,000
State Pension and AA 8,000 8,500 8,300 9,200 9,200
State Pension and AA/DLA *100 *100 *100 *100 *100
State Pension and MIG/Pension Credit 6,900 7,200 8,000 8,200 9,900
State Pension, MIG/Pension Credit and DLA 900 1,000 1,100 1,200 1,400
State Pension, MIG/Pension Credit and AA 3,300 3,400 3,600 3,400 4,000
Other combinations 1,300 1,200 1,100 1,100 1,200
All 114,100 114,900 116,000 117,300 119,300
1 November.

Notes:

1. Figures are taken from a 5 per cent. sample and are therefore subject to a high degree of sampling variation.

2. Figures are rounded to the nearest hundred.

3. Numbers less than 500 and marked * are based on very few sample cases and are subject to a high degree of sampling variation.

4. Key Benefits are State Pension (SP), Incapacity Benefit (IB), Attendance Allowance (AA),Disability Living Allowance (DLA), Pension Credit (PC) and Severe Disablement Allowance (SDA).

5. Minimum Income Guarantee (MIG) was introduced from 1999 and was replaced by Pension Credit with effect from 6 October 2003.

Source:

IAD Information Centre, 5 per cent. samples.

Malcolm Wicks

The information requested concerning the total number of claims for benefits or pensions is not available. The available information is in the tables.

Working age claimants of key benefits in York
Number
November 1997 11,400
November 1998 11,200
November 1999 10,800
November 2000 10,400
November 2001 10,500
November 2002 9,600
November 2003 9,400
Working age claimants of key benefits in North Yorkshire
Number
November 1997 33,500
November 1998 33,800
November 1999 33,300
November 2000 31,700
November 2001 31,300
November 2002 31,300
November 2003 31,300

Notes:

  1. 1. Figures are rounded to the nearest hundred.
  2. 2. Key benefits are Jobseeker's Allowance (JSA), Incapacity Benefit (IB), Severe Disablement Allowance, Disability Living Allowance, Income Support and National Insurance credits only (through JSA or IB).

Source:

IAD Information Centre, 5 per cent. samples.