Income Support: Ex-servicemen

Mr. Harper
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions pursuant to the answer of 16 December 2008, Official Report, column 616W, on income support: ex-servicemen, what proportion of the weekly payments of compensation schemes are disregarded; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. McNulty
[holding answer 12 January 2009]: Normally for the income-related benefits, all income is taken into account, with disregards available only in specific circumstances.

Payments to ex-servicemen attract a disregard of £10 when calculating entitlement to income support and the other income-related benefits.

This disregard, which gives war pensioners an advantage over other disabled groups, is paid in recognition of the special nature of these payments.