Mr Major’s Written Parliamentary Answer on Invalidity Benefit – 15 November 1985

Below is the text of Mr Major’s written Parliamentary Answer on Invalidity Benefit on 15th November 1985.

Mr. Clay Asked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) how many of those currently receiving (a) invalidity pension and (b) other incapacity benefits have claimed a supplementary pension; and how many of these claims were successful;

(2) of the total now receiving invalidity benefit with a supplementary pension, how many will lose their supplementary benefit top-up when invalidity benefit is increased by 7 per cent. and the 5 per cent. abatement is restored; and what will be the estimated savings to his Department as a result of this exercise;

(3) what will be the estimated savings to his Department as a result of not paying supplementary pensions to invalidity benefit recipients.

Mr. Major It is regretted that information is not available about the number who have claimed a supplementary pension. At December 1983, however, the latest date for which information is available, about 9,000 people receiving supplementary pension were also in receipt of an incapacity benefit – sickness benefit, invalidity pension or non-contributory invalidity pension. It is not known how many were receiving an invalidity pension. Information is not therefore available about the number who will lose their entitlement to supplementary pension when invalidity pension is increased by 7 per cent. and the 5 per cent. abatement restored. There will in any case be no overall benefit savings.