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Disability Living Allowance

Mr. Martyn Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is the average time taken to process a disability living allowance appeal in the Wrexham County Borough Area. [102638]

Angela Eagle: Information is not available in the format requested. Such information as is available is as follows.

Between 1 January 1999 and 31 May 1999 the average time taken to process a Disability Living Allowance appeal, in the area handled by the Cardiff office of the Independent Tribunal Service, was 37.8 weeks from date of lodgement to date of tribunal. From the date the appeal was received by the Independent Tribunal Service to the date of tribunal the average time was 33.5 weeks.

20 Dec 1999 : Column: 326W

The changed structure to the decision making and appeals processes introduced by the Social Security Act 1998 were introduced for Disability Living Allowance on 18 October 1999.



    100 per cent. download from the Appeals Service computer system.

Communication Support

Mr. Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) what steps his Department is taking to ensure that the need to arrange communication support at personal adviser interviews does not delay the processing of benefit claims; [102244]

Angela Eagle: Personal advisers in the ONE service provide help and advice on work and benefits to individuals according to their own particular circumstances. We recognise that everyone is different and needs vary from one client to another. ONE pilot offices have trained staff and special facilities to aid people with special communication needs. For example, textphone facilities are available for people with severe hearing impairment and advisers are trained in their use. The services of a qualified interpreter or lipspeaker are available to clients attending a meeting with their personal adviser. All clients, including those with communication difficulties, will be offered a prompt initial meeting in order that claims can be dealt with quickly.

Benefits Appeal Tribunal

Dr. Iddon: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if it is his policy that, when a person wins a benefits tribunal appeal against loss or suspension of Disability Living Allowance, that benefit should be reinstated forthwith providing that an appeal has not been lodged by his Department against the decision within the permitted timescale. [102035]

Angela Eagle: Where an appeal to the Social Security Commissioner against a Tribunal's decision is not being considered, the decision is implemented and any outstanding payments of benefit are made as quickly as possible.

Dr. Iddon: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what powers his Department has to override the decision of a benefit appeals tribunal. [102034]

Angela Eagle: Appeal tribunals are independent and the Department has no powers to override their decisions.

Under the new arrangements for hearing appeals that have just been introduced, appeal tribunals can correct procedural errors or errors on a point of law. Any party to an appeal can request that a decision be referred back to a tribunal, if they consider that an error has been made.

In addition, there is a right of appeal against a tribunal's decision on a point of law to the Social Security and Child Support Commissioners and thereafter to the higher courts.

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Invalid Care Allowance

Mr. Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many carers have received (a) invalid care allowance and (b) underlying entitlement to ICA for a full year in each year from 1978 to 1999. [103073]

Mr. Bayley: The information is not available.

Mr. Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many carers have received invalid care allowance in each year since 1978. [103075]

Mr. Bayley: The information is in the table.

Number of carers in receipt of invalid care allowance for each year since 1978

Year (3)Number of live cases
Invalid care allowance live load (3)
19786,137
19796,349
19806,648
19817,098
19828,005
19838,847
19849,494
198510,284
198630,587
198791,392
1988109,334
1989120,816
1990133,912
1991159,324
1992188,717
1993230,313
1994273,901
1995316,353
1996357,471
1997374,321
1998373,267
1999(4)374,815

(3) Figures relate to 31 December

(4) Figures relate to 30 September

Source:

Analytical Services Division: 100 per cent. data


Mr. Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many carers have received Invalid Care Allowance for (a) two, (b) five, (c) 10, (d) 15 and (e) 20 years since 1978. [103074]

Mr. Bayley: The information is not available in the format requested. Such information as is available is in the tables.

Duration of Invalid Care Allowance awards which have terminated

YearUp to 2 yearsOver 2 years to 5 yearsOver 5 yearsAll durations
1981(5)7785282041,510
19821,6707773112,758
19831,7617483122,821
19841,9518444283,223
19852,0401,0193903,449
19863,3371,0294124,778
198718,8394,89049724,226
198815,1509,23653124,917
198914,39010,28370525,378
199014,3789,4543,21227,044
199119,0409,5084,79633,344
199223,3639,7806,00939,152
199326,33110,3616,17342,865
199428,51611,7366,88947,141
199535,89916,6099,04061,548
1996(6)21,28410,4645,50237,250
199743,44624,30112,78980,536
199840,17925,33413,64379,156
1999(7)29,09617,04711,12857,271

(5) Period is 1 April 1981 to 31 December 1981.

(6) Period is 1 January 1996 to 31 March 1996 and 1 October 1996 to 31 December 1996.

(7) Period is 1 January 1999 to 30 September 1999.

Note:

Information not available prior to 1981.

Source:

Analytical Services Division: 100 per cent. data.


20 Dec 1999 : Column: 328W

Duration of current Invalid Care Allowance awards

DurationNumber
Up to 1 year64,486
Over 1 year to 2 years61,302
Over 2 years to 5 years127,403
Over 5 years to 10 years88,234
Over 10 years32,594
All durations374,019

Note:

Figures relate to 21 July 1999.

Source:

Analytical Services Division: 100 per cent. data.


Benefits (Automated Credit Transfer)

Mr. Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, pursuant to his answer of 13 December 1999, Official Report, column 43W, on automated credit transfer of benefits, in what circumstances he would envisage exception to the norm of benefit payment by automated credit transfer. [103199]

Mr. Rooker: We are still considering this issue. However, one area where an exception is necessary may be where people are prevented from having a bank account, such as those who have been declared bankrupt.

Carers' Pensions

Mr. Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many carers for elderly and disabled people, who have been in receipt of or who have underlying entitlement to invalid care allowance and home responsibilities protection, he estimates will benefit from the state second pension in each of the 10 years from the start of the state second pension. [103071]

Mr. Bayley: It is estimated that in the region of 400,000 carers for elderly or disabled people, who have been in receipt of, or have underlying entitlement to, Invalid Care Allowance or home responsibilities protection will build up entitlement to the State Second Pension from the year of its introduction.

20 Dec 1999 : Column: 329W

Mr. Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what estimate he has made of the costs of providing the state second pension to carers who have been in receipt of or who have underlying entitlement to invalid care allowance or home responsibilities protection in the first 10 years of the state second pension. [103072]

Mr. Bayley: The information is in the table:

The estimated costs of providing state second pension to carers who have been in receipt of, or who have underlying entitlement to, invalid care allowance or home responsibilities protection in the first 10 years of the scheme

Year£ million
2002-030
2003-041
2004-052
2005-064
2006-078
2007-0812
2008-0916
2009-1022
2010-1126
2011-1230

Notes:

1. Gross costs are shown in £ million (rounded to nearest million) in 1999-2000 price terms but are unlikely to be accurate to this degree.

2. State Second Pension is assumed to start in 2002.


Mr. Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how much it would cost to backdate the state second pension to 1978 for qualifying carers who reach retirement age after 2002-03. [103118]

Mr. Rooker: Records are not available to identify all individuals with a period of actual or underlying entitlement to Invalid Care Allowance or Home Responsibilities Protection back to 1978.


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