| Previous Section | Index | Home Page |
Benefits Agency
Mr. David Nicholson: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will make a statement on his policy towards Benefits Agency officials (a) visiting demonstrations on road works sites for benefit purposes and (b) denying benefit payments to persons believed to be, or known to be, occupying land in the area of road construction; how this policy has changed in the past two years; what new guidance he has issued since 1 January 1996; and if he will make a statement. [15928]
Mr. Roger Evans: This is a matter for Peter Mathison, the chief executive of the Benefits Agency. He will write to the hon. Member.
Letter from Peter Mathison to Mr. David Nicholson, dated 20 February 1996:
24 Feb 1997 : Column: 86
The Secretary of State for Social Security has asked me to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question asking if he will make a statement on his policy towards Benefits Agency (BA) officials (a) visiting demonstrations on road works sites for benefit purposes and (b) denying benefit payments to persons believed to be, or known to be, occupying land in the area of road construction; how this policy has changed in the past two years; what new guidance he has issued since 1st January 1996; and if he will make a statement.
The BA does not routinely visit demonstrations on road work sites for benefit purposes. The Agency has a policy of visiting to protect public funds and ensure customers receive their correct entitlement. Where certain criteria are met, a visit is made before Income Support or Jobseekers Allowance (Income Based) is awarded, which are listed at appendix A. Visits are also made when customers in receipt of these benefits meet certain criteria, which are listed at appendix B.
The Jobseeker's Allowance (JSA) customers must be available for work and seek it actively, and the same rules applied for several years before the introduction of JSA. The JSA rules require customers to be immediately willing and able to take up work of at least 40 hours a week, at times which give them reasonable prospects of securing employment. They must also take realistic steps to look for work each week. Full guidance on the conditions was issued for the introduction of JSA in October 1996. Jobcentre staff apply them rigorously to all JSA customers, including those known or believed to be protesting by occupying a building site.
I hope you find this reply helpful.
Appendix A
Unexplained background to claim or claim incomplete
Number of children inconsistent with child benefit declared
Jobseeker/Customer has no National Insurance number
Recent separation
No Fixed Abode
Request to backdate claim more than one month
Habitual Residence Test
Known at risk address
Customer may be living together as husband and wife with another person who has not been declared as their partner
Guidance exists on the meaning of each criteria
Appendix B
Lone parent in receipt of Income Support (IS)
Jobseeker in receipt of Jobseekers Allowance (JSA)
Customer incapable/unavailable for work
Pensioners over 60 years and 3 months but less than 65 years and 4 months
Customer/Jobseeker or partner self-employed prior to claiming IS/JSA
Customer/Jobseeker or partner currently self-employed
Customer/Jobseeker or partner is an employed earner
Customer/Jobseeker or partner has other income
Customer or partner aged 67-69 in receipt of IS
Local selection
Benefit Expenditure
Mr. Gapes: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what has been the increase in benefit expenditure in real terms since 1979. [15980]
Mr. Burt: Social Security benefit expenditure has increased by 88 per cent. in real terms since 1979.
- Source:
- March 1996 Social Security departmental report and earlier equivalents.
Carer Premium
Mr. Alan Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many (a) men and (b) women currently receive the carer premium with (i) income support, (ii) housing benefit and (iii) council tax benefit.[15798]
Mr. Roger Evans: The information is not available in the format requested. Such information as is available is set out in the table.
| Benefit | Male recipients | Female recipients | Total recipients |
|---|---|---|---|
| Income support(27) | 92,000 | 68,000 | 159,000 |
| Housing benefit(28) | -- | -- | 87,000 |
| Council tax benefit(28) | -- | -- | 116,000 |
Notes:
1. Figures as at February 1996.
2. Figures as at May 1995.
3. All numbers have been rounded to the nearest thousand, and totals may not sum.
4. It is not possible to identify the sex of those people whose housing benefit and council tax benefit assessments include the carer premium.
5. The figures given for income support represent the sex of the claimant who is a member of a benefit unit for which there is entitlement to the carer premium. The benefit unit may be a single person or a couple, and the claimant may or may not be the carer.
6. People in receipt of housing benefit whose assessment includes a carer premium, can also be in receipt of council tax benefit. There is therefore some overlap in the figures for these benefits.
Sources:
(27) The income support figures are from the May 1995 and February 1996 "Quarterly Statistical Enquiry".
(28) The latest housing benefit and council tax benefit figures are from the May 1995 housing benefit management information system annual 1 per cent. enquiry.
24 Feb 1997 : Column: 87
Housing Benefit
Mr. Alan Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is his estimate of (a) the annual cost and (b) the numbers gaining if the extended housing benefit scheme were to be introduced for people in receipt of (i) incapacity benefits and (ii) invalid care allowance within 26 weeks of starting a job. [15871]
Mr. Roger Evans: The information is not available in the format requested. Such information as is available is as follows:
The cost of extending the scheme in a full year to people who received incapacity benefit within 26 weeks of starting a job is estimated to be in the region of £4 million with around 25,000 people affected 1 .
Information does not exist to provide a relief estimate for ex-invalid care allowance recipients.
Mr. William Powell:
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is his latest estimate of the number of (a) local authority and (b) housing association tenants (i) not in receipt and (ii) in receipt of housing benefit in each district of Northamptonshire. [15777]
Note:
1 This estimate applies only to individuals registering as unemployed after leaving incapacity benefit and is based on data from March 1995 to February 1996.
| Local authority | Total tenancies | Non-housing benefit tenants | Housing benefit tenants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Corby | 7,240 | 3,250 | 3,980 |
| Daventry | 3,760 | 1,700 | 2,070 |
| East Northants | 4,120 | 1,730 | 2,390 |
| Kettering | 4,690 | 1,540 | 3,150 |
| Northampton | 15,040 | 5,050 | 9,990 |
| South Northants | 3,500 | 1,500 | 2,000 |
| Wellingborough | 5,650 | 2,470 | 3,180 |
| Local authority | Total tenancies | Non-housing benefit tenants | Housing benefit tenants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Corby | 500 | 140 | 350 |
| Daventry | 320 | 10 | 300 |
| East Northants | 620 | 160 | 460 |
| Kettering | 590 | 150 | 440 |
| Northampton | 1,630 | 640 | 990 |
| South Northants | 210 | 40 | 160 |
| Wellingborough | 680 | 230 | 460 |
Note:
Totals may not sum due to rounding to the nearest 10.
Sources:
1. Local authority tenancies--Department of Environment annual housing investment programme (HIP1) returns as at 1 April 1996.
2. Housing association tenancies--Housing Corporation's annual HAR10/1 returns as at 31 March 1996.
3. Housing benefit management information system, 100 per cent. quarterly stock count enquiry for housing benefit-Council Tax Benefit recipients with and without income support, for each local authority in Northamptonshire taken at the end of May 1996.
24 Feb 1997 : Column: 88
Earnings Limits
Mr. Alan Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is his estimate of (a) the annual cost and (b) the numbers gaining if the earnings limits for (i) incapacity benefit, (ii) severe disablement allowance and (iii) invalid care allowance, were raised to the lower earning limit for 1997-98. [15870]
Mr. Burt: The information is not available in the format requested. Such information as is available is as follows.
| Next Section | Index | Home Page |