7 Dec 1998 : Column: 1
Written Answers to Questions
Monday 7 December 1998
SOCIAL SECURITY
Benefits Agency
Ms Ward: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what instructions are issued to Benefits Agency staff who deal with the public requiring them to identify themselves. [61626]
Angela Eagle: The administration of the Benefits Agency is a matter for its Chief Executive, Peter Mathison. He will write to my hon. Friend.
Letter from Peter Mathison to Ms Claire Ward, dated 3 December 1998:
I am replying to your recent Parliamentary Question about the instructions issued to Benefits Agency staff who deal with the public requiring them to identify themselves.
Benefits Agency policy on the issue of staff giving their names to customers is as follows:
When dealing with the public inside the office, staff should:
give their name on the telephone and in letters
wear name badges.
Name badges should normally display either the member of staff's:
surname and forename or initials or
forename and job title (job title alone is not sufficient).
Staff should not give their name if they have reasons for believing that their safety is at risk.
If staff feel that their safety is at risk by providing their actual name, they have the right, following consultation with management, to use an office name. This should be sensible and should be consistently used by that member of staff on all office business.
BA does not expect staff to wear name badges outside the office. They should normally give their name if requested unless they feel that their personal safety is at risk. Staff who carry an ID card must show it on arrival and give their name if asked.
These instructions are contained in the BA Conditions of Service Manual and are referred to in the letter issued to staff taking up permanent appointment.
I hope you find this reply is helpful.
Pensions
Mr. Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what the administrative cost would be of (a) paying an additional 40p per week on the state pension and (b) paying a £20 winter fuel bonus to all pensioners once per year. [62243]
Mr. Denham:
The administration of the Benefits Agency is a matter for its Chief Executive, Peter Mathison. He will write to the hon. Member.
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Letter from Peter Mathison to Mr. Steve Webb, dated 3 December 1998:
Mr. Burstow:
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many people had appealed against an adjudicator's decision (a) successfully and (b) unsuccessfully, up to 31 October. [62858]
Angela Eagle:
The information is not available in the form requested. Such information as is available is in the table.
The Secretary of State for Social Security has asked me to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question asking what the administrative cost would be of a) paying an additional 40p per week on the State pension and b) paying a £20 winter fuel bonus to all pensioners once per year.
If the 40p increase were to be paid as part of the annual uprating exercise, there would be no additional administrative cost. If it were to be paid separately the additional costs are estimated at around £500,000.
The administrative costs of paying a £20 winter fuel bonus to all State Pension recipients resident in Great Britain once a year would be around £12 million.
I hope you find this reply helpful.
| All centres | Decided in appellant's favour | Decided against appellant |
|---|---|---|
| January 1998 | 4,132 | 10,728 |
| February 1998 | 4,337 | 11,845 |
| March 1998 | 5,326 | 13,761 |
| April 1997 | 4,470 | 10,020 |
| May 1998 | 4,632 | 10,850 |
| June 1998 | 5,267 | 12,788 |
| July 1998 | 5,371 | 13,452 |
| August 1998 | 4,771 | 12,103 |
| September 1998 | 4,568 | 11,494 |
| Total | 42,874 | 107,041 |
Source:
Appeals--Data supplied by Analytical Services Division (ASD) from the ITS Generic Appeals Processing System
Single Gateway
Mr. Rendel: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if the single gateway process will (a) permit routes to independence other than work, and (b) include advice on full take up of benefits. [62625]
Angela Eagle: Claimants will be offered a package of help designed around their particular needs, and will be given access to a wide range of support and services. This will help them to focus both on the benefits of work and to plan a route back to independence.
The personal adviser will also ensure that the claimant is receiving the full range of benefits to which they are entitled, whilst providing personalised calculations of net income to help the claimant understand the extent to which they could be better off in work.
Mr. Rendel:
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) what steps his Department will take to ensure that claimants subject to the single gateway are offered early interviews to allow prompt payment of benefit; [62620]
7 Dec 1998 : Column: 3
Angela Eagle:
The Single Gateway process is being developed to allow for personal adviser interviews to take place, in most cases, within three working days of the first contact with the office. Processing of the benefit will run concurrently with the new Gateway processes in order to minimise delay.
There will, as now, be arrangements for meeting urgent benefit needs.
Mr. Rendel:
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what the functions will be of the call centres in the pilots in Somerset, Buckinghamshire, Gwent Borders and Calderdale and Kirklees in implementing the single gateway. [62626]
Angela Eagle:
From November 1999 we are seeking to test call centre technology in the four named pilot areas as part of the single gateway pilot programme. This programme will bring together the Employment Service, Benefits Agency and other welfare providers in a single point of contact.
We aim to test how modern technology can make the service as quick and efficient as possible. We will use call centres to perform the Registration and Orientation stages of the new arrangements as described in Chapter 3 of "A New Contract for Welfare: The Gateway to Work". We are also looking at how better telephone technology might be used to improve the service we can offer clients in other areas of Gateway work.
Mr. Rendel:
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what safeguards will be introduced to ensure that single gateway interviews are arranged at mutually convenient times, and that home visits are arranged where appropriate. [62673]
Angela Eagle:
Single Gateway interviews will be arranged in discussion with the claimant and at a mutually convenient time. A home visit will be arranged where circumstances make it impractical for the claimant to attend the office.
Mr. Rendel:
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if the personal advisers within the single gateway will operate in conjunction with the New Deal personal advisers. [62624]
Angela Eagle:
The precise working arrangements have yet to be determined. Our aim will be to offer new benefit claimants the best possible help and advice in planning a route back to independence. Our experience in the pilot areas will inform decisions about what works best.
Mr. Rendel:
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will list the exemptions allowed in respect of the single gateway interview. [62623]
Angela Eagle:
There will be no list of exemptions. We expect that an immediate interview will take place in the large majority of cases but this requirement may be waived or deferred where appropriate in the particular circumstances of the case.
7 Dec 1998 : Column: 4
Mr. Oaten:
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what information his Department has collected relating to the income tax bands of claimants of disability living allowance. [62633]
(2) what target has been set for the time within which claimants should be offered single gateway interviews. [62621]
| Tax band | Number of DLA recipients |
|---|---|
| 20 per cent. rate | 120,000 |
| 23 per cent. rate | 110,000 |
| 40 per cent. rate | 10,000 |
Notes:
1. The tax rates refer to the highest marginal rate of income tax the recipient is liable to pay.
2. Entitlement to Disability Living Allowance depends on the level of help a disabled person needs with personal care and mobility, not on their level of income.
3. These estimates are based on survey information and subject to margins of error.
Mr. Oaten: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how much it would cost to extend up to 25 years of age the limit of 20 years of age before which disability must have occurred which is placed upon severe disablement allowance. [62340]
Mr. Timms: We estimate the cost to be broadly in the region of £40 million a year.
Mr. Rooney: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many lifetime awards of disability living allowance are in payment for (a) lower, (b) middle and (c) higher rate of care component and (i) lower and (ii) higher rate of mobility component. [62540]
Mr. Timms: The information is in the table.
| Thousand | |
|---|---|
| Care component | |
| highest rate | 264 |
| middle rate | 361 |
| lowest rate | 331 |
| Mobility component | |
| higher rate | 1,110 |
| lower rate | 239 |
Notes:
The term "for life" means that payment can be made indefinitely provided the conditions for receipt continue to be satisfied. Many beneficiaries receive both components.
Source:
Analytical Services Division: 5 per cent. data
Mr. Oaten: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what estimate his Department has made of the number of new claimants who will not be eligible for severe disablement allowance under his proposed reforms. [62339]
Mr. Timms:
We estimate that 16,000 people per year would not receive Severe Disablement Allowance under the reforms proposed in our discussion document "Support for Disabled People". However, current statistical data indicate that nearly 70 per cent. of these
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will qualify for Income Support as they do at present, so that, for the majority, their benefit income will not be reduced.
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