Mr Major’s Written Parliamentary Answer on Invalid Care Allowance – 20 November 1986

Below is the text of Mr Major’s written Parliamentary Answer on Invalid Care Allowance on 20th November 1986.

Mr. Gale Asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many claims are at present awaiting processing by the invalid care allowance unit; and what steps are being taken to expedite those claims.

Mr. Major At 14 November 1986, the latest date for which figures are available, 76,000 claims were outstanding, of which 66,000 were from married women who were made eligible for ICA in July by the Social Security Act 1986. The Department has set up a new unit at Preston and engaged an extra 320 staff to deal with the claims. Every effort is being made to clear the current backlog of claims as quickly as possible. We expect the majority of these to be cleared by early in the new year.

Mr. Freud Asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will list information available to him on the European Economic Community countries in which widows are eligible to claim invalid care allowance in respect of members of their family.

Mr. Major The United Kingdom is the only European Community country which provides an invalid care allowance, as distinct from attendance allowance paid to the invalid person. Widows are eligible to claim invalid care allowance in the United Kingdom, although receipt of the allowance may reduce other social security benefits in payment, including widows’ benefits.