To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will estimate what the rates would be if they had been uprated in line with the increases in (i) prices and (ii) average earnings since they were introduced of (a) widow's payment, (b) capital limits for income support and family credit, (c) earnings disregard for income support, (d) earnings disregard for housing and council tax, (e) war pension disregard for income-related benefits, (f) income disregarded as income from a boarder, (g) maternity payment from the Social Fund, (h) capital limits for maternity and funeral payments from the Social Fund, (i) Christmas bonus and (j) 25p age additions to retirement pensions. [78793]
The information is in the table.
£
| |||||
Benefit
| Rate when introduced
| Date of introduction
| Current rate
| Value at April 1999 if increased in line with prices since date introduced1
| Value at April 1999 if increased in line with prices earnings since date introduced2
|
| Earnings | 10.00 | April 1988 | 10.00 | 15.35 | 18.35 |
| Disregard4 | 15.00 | April 1988 | 15.00 | 23.15 | 27.40 |
| Housing Benefit/Family Credit Child Care Disregard5 | 40.00 | October 1994 | 60.00 | 45.00 | 48.35 |
| War Pension Disregard for income-related benefits6 | 5.00 | April 1988 | 10.00 | 7.70 | 9.20 |
| Income Disregarded as income from a boarder7 | 20.00 | April 1988 | 20.00 | 30.90 | 36.55 |
| Maternity Benefit from Social Fund | 80.00 | April 1987 | 100.00 | 127.35 | 157.55 |
Capital Limits for Maternity Benefit and Funeral Payment from the Social Fund
| |||||
| (under 60) | 500.00 | April 1987 | 500.00 | 795.85 | 984.85 |
| (over 60) | 1,000 | April 1990 | 1,000 | 1,400.35 | 1,530.75 |
| Christmas Bonus | 10.00 | December 1972 | 10.00 | 77.20 | 114.50 |
| Retirement Pension—age addition | 0.25 | September 1971 | 0.25 | 1.80 | 3.05 |
1 The Retail Prices Index (all items) has been used, except for the income-related benefits where the ROSSI index (Retail Prices Index less rent, local taxes and mortgage interest payments) as published by the Office for National Statistics. | |||||
2 Average Earnings Index Whole Economy (Non Seasonally Adjusted) as published by the Office for National Statistics. | |||||
3 Lone parents, the disabled and certain special occupations such as carers attract the highest disregard of £15, couples are eligible for a £10 disregard on their earnings and everyone else receives a £5 disregard. | |||||
4 The £15 disregard for Housing Benefit was increased for lone parents to £25 in October 1990. | |||||
5 The £40 child care disregard on Housing Benefit and Family Credit was increased to £60 in April 1996. | |||||
6 War pensions £5 disregard was increased to £10 in April 1990. | |||||
7 The total amount of income disregarded as income from a boarder is £20 for each boarder per week and 50 per cent, of the remaining income from the boarder after the £20 deduction has been made. | |||||
Note:
The figures have been rounded to the nearest 5 pence at each uprating date.