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Mr. Ashley
asked the Secretary of State for Social Services which state benefits are not increased in line with increases in the cost of living.
Mr. Newton
Under section 125 of the Social Security Act 1975 the following benefits are required to be uprated annually at least in line with the rise in prices:
- Retirement pension—Categories A, B, C and D
- Widows' benefits
- Invalidity benefits
- Child's special allowance
- Guardian's allowance
- Industrial injuries benefits
- Attendance allowance
- Severe disablement allowance
- Invalid care allowance
- Unemployment benefit
- Sickness benefit
- Maternity allowance
| Basic weekly wage at effective date—£ (Index showing change in real terms measured against RPI. 1974=100) | ||||||||||||
| May*1974 | April 1975 | April 1976 | April 1977 | April 1978 | April 1979 | April 1980 | April 1981 | August† 1982 | April 1984 | April 1985 | February‡ 1986 | |
| 21–58 | 29–92 | 35–90 | 38–39 | 41–39 | 47–02 | 59–53 | 63–10 | 70–86 | 75–12 | 78–63 | 78–63 | |
| First-year student | (100) | (119) | (123) | (110) | (111) | (119) | (134) | (120) | (128) | (123) | (117) | — |
| 23–47 | 31–47 | 37–45 | 39–95 | 43–11 | 48–90 | 62–02 | 65–74 | 73–84 | 78–27 | 81–99 | 81–99 | |
| Second-year student | (100) | (114) | (117) | (102) | (102) | (109) | (122) | (108) | (115) | (108) | (102) | — |
| 25–37 | 33–37 | 39–35 | 41–85 | 45–18 | 51–15 | 65–01 | 68–91 | 77–38 | 82–02 | 86–74 | 87–84 | |
| Third-year student | (100) | (112) | (112) | (97) | (97) | (103) | (114) | (100) | (105) | (98) | (95) | — |
| Notes: | ||||||||||||
| *Halsbury report. | ||||||||||||
| † Two-year settlement from 23 August 1982 to 31 March 1984. | ||||||||||||
| ‡ Second stage of implementation of 1985 Review Body recommendations. | ||||||||||||