asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how he determines what constitutes a temporary absence when deciding on claims made under the Social Security Benefit (Persons Abroad) Regulations 1975 2(2).
The social security Acts and regulations do not define what constitutes a temporary absence from Great Britain. This is a matter for the independent adjudicating authorities set up under the Acts, having regard to the particular circumstances of each individual case. The Secretary of State has no power to intervene or vary their decisions.
asked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) how many claims made under the Social Security Benefit (Persons Abroad) Regulations 1975 for (a) sickness benefit, (b) severe disablement allowance and (c) invalidity benefit, were rejected between 1981 and 1985 on the grounds that their absence was not deemed to be a temporary absence from Great Britain;(2) how many claims made under the Social Security Benefit (Persons Abroad) Regulations 1975 for
(a) sickness benefit, (b) severe disablement allowance and (c) invalidity benefit, were rejected between 1981 and 1985 on the grounds that their absence was not deemed to be for the specific purpose of being treated for the incapacity which commenced before the claimant sought to leave Great Britain;
(3) how many claims made under the Social Security Benefit (Persons Abroad) Regulations 1975, as amended, were successful on appeal between 1981 and 1985 for (a) sickness benefit, (b) severe disablement allowance and (c) invalidity benefit;
(4) how many claims made under the Social Security Benefit (Persons Abroad) Regulations 1975, as amended, were successful between 1981 and 1986 for (a) sickness benefit, (b) severe disablement allowance and (c) invalidity benefit;
(5) whether he will provide a breakdown by country of intended destination for successful claimants of social security benefit under the Social Security Benefit (Persons Abroad) Regulations 1975, as amended;
(6) whether he will provide a breakdown by country of intended destination of unsuccessful claimants of social security benefit under the Social Security Benefit (Persons Abroad) Regulations 1975, as amended.
The information requested is not readily available, and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many claims have been made under the Social Security Benefit (Persons Abroad) Regulations 1975, as amended, between 1981 and 1986.
The number of claims made under the Social Security Benefit (Persons Abroad) Regulations 1975, as amended, between 1981 and 1986 is as follows:
| Retirement pension1 | Widows benefit1 | Injury benefit2 | Disablement benefit2 | |
| 1981 | 22,660 | 2,443 | 398 | 838 |
| 1982 | 22,076 | 2,076 | 303 | 799 |
| 1983 | 25,342 | 2,459 | 3 316 | 813 |
| 1984 | 28,435 | 2,531 | 34 | 591 |
| 1985 | 33,757 | 2,453 | — | 717 |
| 1986 | 39,228 | 2,766 | — | 880 |
| 1 The figures in these two columns refer to claims made by people in non-European Community and non-reciprocal countries and countries with which we have partial agreements. (Australia, New Zealand, Canada and United States of America). EC countries and countries with which we have reciprocal agreements, providing for payment of pension increases, are excluded as their claims are not made under the 1975 persons abroad regulations. The figures do not include people who get benefit in the United Kingdom who then go to live abroad. | ||||
| 2 The figures in these two columns are figures for the whole world and it is not possible to separate out claims made by people in EC countries and countries with which we have agreements. | ||||
| 3 Injury benefit was abolished in April 1983. The figures for 1983 and 1984 include late claims. | ||||
asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many claims have ben made under the Social Security Benefit (Persons Abroad) Regulations 1975, as amended, for (a) sickness benefit, (b) severe disablement allowance and (c) invalidity benefit.
The Number of claims to sickness benefit, invalidity benefit and severe disablement allowance made under the Social Security Benefit (Persons Abroad) Regulations 1975, as amended, for the period 1977 to 1986 is as follows:
| Number | |
| 1977 | 10,221 |
| 1978 | 16,868 |
| 1979 | 13,803 |
| 1980 | 15,012 |
| 1981 | 15,031 |
| 1982 | 14,402 |
| 1983 | 10,939 |
| 1984 | 8,792 |
| 1985 | 8,777 |
| 1986 | 6,668 |
asked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) if he will list in the Official Report the estimated level of uptake of all means-tested benefits and the average level of payments forgone by the different claimant groups as a result of non-uptake of benefits;(2) what is the most recent estimate of the number of people who lose out on means-tested benefits as a result of non-uptake.
[pursuant to his reply, 9 March 1987, c. 73]: The latest take-up estimates for supplementary benefit, including weekly amounts unclaimed, related to 1983 and are contained in my reply on 30 October 1986 at columns 231–34.Estimates of take-up of family income supplement (FIS) for 1981–82 indicate that approximately half of those entitled claimed. Approximately 130,000 families left average weekly amounts of £8.30 unclaimed.Updated estimates for FIS, and initial estimates for housing benefit, are expected to be published soon.Estimates of take-up of welfare milk under low-income schemes indicate that approximately 7 per cent. of those entitled claimed in 1981. There are insufficient data available to calculate reliable take-up for the low-income schemes which provide help with National Health Service charges and travelling expenses.