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Social Fund
Mr. Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what was the average award made under the social fund in each of the last five years. [6977]
Mr. Keith Bradley:
Average Payments for 1991-92 to 1995-96 are in the table. Figures for 1996-97 will be published in the Department of Social Security's Annual Report on the Social Fund later this month.
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| Regulated scheme | Discretionary fund | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Maternity payments | Funeral payments | Cold weather payments | Community care grants(13) | Budgeting loans(13) | Crisis loans(13) |
| 1991-92 | 101 | 706 | 6 | 281 | 217 | 62 |
| 1992-93 | 101 | 789 | 6 | 314 | 226 | 65 |
| 1993-94 | 101 | 873 | 6 | 322 | 239 | 64 |
| 1994-95 | 101 | 924 | 7 | 340 | 255 | 65 |
| 1995-96 | 101 | 791 | 8.50 | 351 | 271 | 66 |
(13) Does not include awards on review.
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Mr. Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what plans she has to (a) revise the criteria for awarding and (b) increase the amount of moneys available to the social fund. [6969]
Mr. Keith Bradley: The Social Fund is made up of two parts; the regulated and discretionary schemes. The regulated scheme is based on rules of entitlement and payments are not cash limited. Discretionary Social Fund payments are made from a national cash limited budget which is allocated to individual Benefits Agency District Offices.
The overall size of the gross discretionary Social Fund budget, and its allocation, is decided annually. It depends principally on the size of loan recoveries expected during the course of each coming year plus planned new provision voted for each year.
Details of the annual gross budget for the discretionary Social Fund and the principles used for its allocation are placed in the Library in March each year. The allocations principles will be reviewed as part of each annual budget setting exercise.
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Mr. Burstow:
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if she will withdraw new instructions issued to social security staff in August 1995 that require them when assessing eligibility for income support in circumstances where the claimant was alleging abuse or significant harm, to probe into the nature and extent of that abuse. [6970]
Mr. Keith Bradley:
We want a system that supports work, savings and honesty; and provides better, simpler and more efficient services to claimants. The guidance on claims from young people in the circumstances described ensures handling by staff trained in these sensitive matters. The Government has no plans to withdraw the guidance which provides an opportunity to highlight cases of abuse and to take necessary action.
As Income Support for the unemployed has been replaced by income based Jobseeker's Allowance any
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further consideration of this matter will be for the Secretary of State for Education and Employment.
Mr. Burstow:
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what plans she has to simplify the process for claiming income support by people who go into residential care for temporary periods. [6973]
Mr. Keith Bradley:
We will streamline services to provide better, simpler, more efficient services to clients. We fully recognise the importance that temporary placements have in providing respite care for carers and for those needing care. We are examining the current process for dealing with benefit claims to make procedures as simple and straightforward as possible and this will include the particular difficulties which can arise for people who need to claim Income Support for temporary periods in residential care.
Mr. Burstow:
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security when she will be publishing details of the proposals set out in the Budget statement relating to disabled people on incapacity benefit. [7082]
Mr. Denham:
The Government strongly believes that for people of working age work is the best form of welfare. We are committed to giving opportunities to sick and disabled people who have some capacity for work to do so. Some £200 million from the windfall levy has been set aside to fund this important programme of work and other measures.
Over the coming months we will be looking to see what changes are necessary to ensure that the particular needs of people who have disabilities or who have lost contact with the labour market because of long-term sickness are provided for. We will make more detailed announcements in due course.
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Mr. Burstow:
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if she will list the number of applications for community care grants, the number of applications which were turned down and the number of refusals as a percentage of the total number of applications in each of the last three financial years. [6971]
Mr. Keith Bradley:
The Social Fund provides lump sum payments to help with exceptional or intermittent expenses. Applications to the discretionary Social Fund are made to the discretionary fund as a whole; not to parts of it. This means that an applicant may receive either a Community Care Grant or a loan depending on the social fund officer's assessment of the nature, extent and urgency of the need and the circumstances of the individual.
In 1995-96 for example, over half a million applicants who were refused a grant were instead awarded a loan. Similarly over 41,000 applications for budgeting loans were instead awarded a community care grant. Of those applicants who specifically request a Community Care Grant, the vast majority do not satisfy the appropriate criteria to demonstrate a grant is needed to promote care in the community. Over the three years to 1995-96, over 70 per cent. of the 1.25 million applications received annually for community care grants were refused on these grounds.
Further details can be found in the Department of Social Security's Annual Reports on the Social Fund which are available in the Library. The report for 1996-97 will be published later this month.
Mr. Keetch:
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if she will publish her Department's submissions relating to freedom of information legislation. [6035]
Mr. Field
[holding answer 2 July 1997]: I refer the hon. Member to the reply given by the Prime Minister on 4 July, Official Report, columns 293-94.
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