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Disability Benefit Statistics
Mr. Mark Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many young people aged 0 to 16 live in households in which an adult is in receipt of (a) incapacity benefit and (b) disability living allowance; and what percentage of these households have an income of less than 60 per cent. of the median household income. [33011]
Mr. Nicholas Brown: Such information as is available is presented in the table:
| Percentage of young people aged 16 or under living with adults in receipt of benefits listed who are also in households with below 60 per cent. of median income | Total number of young people aged under 16 living with adults in receipt of benefits listed | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Adult in Household in receipt of: | Before Housing Costs | After Housing Costs | |
| Incapacity Benefit | 44 | 54 | 340,000 |
| Disability Living Allowance | 25 | 32 | 430,000 |
Notes: 1. All figures are estimates and are taken from the Family Resources Survey (FRS). The FRS does not include Northern Ireland, and 1999–2000 is the latest year for which data is available.
2. Figures relating to the percentage of individuals living in households with below 60 per cent. of median income have been taken from the Households Below Average Income (HBAI) series which is derived from the FRS data set. These have been presented on both a Before and After Housing Costs basis to take into account variations in housing costs as is standard HBAI practice. No adjustment has been made to household disposable income as used in HBAI to take into account any additional costs that may be incurred due to the illness or disability in question.
3. The estimates are sample counts that have been adjusted for non-response using the multipurpose grossing factors that control for tenure type, Council Tax band and a number of demographic variables. Estimates are subject to both sampling error and variability in non-response. Numbers of people are rounded to the nearest 10,000 and percentages to the nearest whole percent.
4. In this context, an adult has been defined as any individual aged 17 or over.
5. Benefit receipt on the FRS is based on self-assessment and therefore may be subject to mis-reporting. In particular, caseload comparisons between FRS and DWP administrative data would suggest that the FRS under counts receipt of DLA and therefore the figure of 430,000 provided in the table should be treated with caution.
6. Numbers in the two rows should not be added, as there will be some overlap between the two groups. For example, people in receipt of Incapacity Benefit may well receive in addition other benefits relating to their needs, including Disability Living Allowance Care component or Disability Living Allowance Mobility component depending on their care or mobility needs.
Source:
Family Resources Survey 1999–2000.
1 Mar 2002 : Column 1645W
Universal Bank
Mr. Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what recent meetings he has had with the clearing banks on the universal bank; and what the outcome was of his discussions. [36056]
Mr. Nicholas Brown: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State met representatives of the British Bankers Association (BBA) recently. The BBA agreed to keep my right hon. Friend informed of developments.
Mr. Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what recent discussions he has had with representatives of sub-post offices on the universal bank; and what items were discussed. [36058]
Mr. Nicholas Brown: My hon. Friend the Minister for Competitiveness has regular contact with the National Federation of Sub-Postmasters, and my officials have also had meetings with the NFSP.
Mr. Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate he has made of the number of account holders that would be required to make the universal bank economically viable. [36051]
Mr. Nicholas Brown: Our operating assumption is that there will be around 3 million Post Office Card Accounts. Job No: 713438 Folios: 2092
Mr. Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (1) what estimate he has made of the number of benefit recipients who would use accounts through the universal bank; and how that number has been calculated; [36052]
- (2) what his estimate is of the number of people receiving benefits who will opt to have those (a) paid into accounts with the post office card account and (b) paid into accounts with established clearing banks on the introduction of ACT. [36118]
Mr. Nicholas Brown: At the start of the main move to ACT in April 2003, there will be some 13 million benefit recipients paid by order book or giro. Our operating assumption is that about 3 million of these will open a post office card account. The vast majority of benefit recipients, most of whom have a bank account, are expected to use an existing bank or building society account or open a new account.
1 Mar 2002 : Column 1646W
Mr. Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what sums have been allocated in his Department's budget for the costs of (a) setting up the universal bank and (b) implementing automated credit transfer of benefits. [36049]
Mr. Nicholas Brown: Departmental Expenditure Limits for 2003/04 and subsequent years will be set in the 2002 spending review.
Mr. Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (1) if he will make it his policy that the automated credit transfer of benefits will not be introduced until such time as the universal bank is available in all sub-post offices; [36055]
- Job No: 713438 Folios: 2093
(2) what estimate he has made of the time that would be required to set up the universal bank in all sub-post offices; [36057]
(3) on what date he estimates that the universal bank will be ready to begin operations; [36117]
(4) in estimating the numbers who might use the universal bank what account he has taken of the effect on post offices in urban areas where there are existing banks should ACT be introduced before the establishment of the universal bank. [36364]
Mr. Nicholas Brown: The Post Office expects that the universal banking at post offices will be available from 2003, in line with the start of the main move to ACT.
Employment Services
Mr. Roy: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what plans he has to increase the amount of personal advice available to unemployed people. [37081]
- Job No: 713438 Folios: 2094
Mr. Nicholas Brown: The creation of Jobcentre Plus will bring together the former Benefits Agency and Employment Service to provide a stronger focus on work for people of working age. As part of that increased focus, more people, including lone parents and disabled people, will be given the opportunity of meeting a personal adviser to learn about the benefits of employment and the help available to find work.
Winter Fuel Allowance
Mr. Letwin: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to his answer of 31 January 2002, Official Report, column 418W, on winter fuel
1 Mar 2002 : Column 1647W
allowance, if the Department now has information about the reason why winter fuel allowance payments have been delayed for up to 28 days. [39771]
Mr. McCartney: The overwhelming majority of winter fuel payments are made automatically, based on details already held by this Department. These payments were issued on a rolling programme throughout November and early December 2001 to ensure that payments were received before Christmas. People who need to make a claim for winter 2001/02 have until 30 March 2002 to do so. Successful claims made prior to 24 September were paid at the same time as the automatic payments. Payments for claims received between 24 September and the March deadline are also made on a rolling basis, and our intention is to make all these payments by June. This payment process allows us to match claims in batches. This means that there will be some delay between the receipt of claims and making the payments.
Incapacity Benefit
Mr. Hepburn: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if an assessment has been made of whether EMP reports have caused (a) ill and (b) disabled people to have benefits reduced. [36130]
Mr. Nicholas Brown: Decisions on entitlement to benefit are made by Benefits Agency decision makers. Decision makers must take into account all the available evidence when reaching their decision. This evidence may include information from the claimant, a report from a GP, hospital consultant, or other health care professional, and a report based on an assessment by a specially trained Examining Medical Practitioner (EMP). No piece of evidence automatically takes precedence over another, and the benefit entitlement decision is never made on the basis of the EMP's report alone. If a decision maker considers an EMP's report not fit for purpose, the report is returned to SchlumbergerSema Medical Services as rework.
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