Written question asked by John Denham (Labour), in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Thursday, 21 November 1996. It was answered by Roger Evans (Conservative) on Thursday, 21 November 1996 on behalf of the Department of Social Security.

Dept of Social Security

Question: To what extent the support given by carers will be counted as a service for which national earnings could be calculated under the Social Security Benefit (Computation of Earnings) Regulations 1996 (S.I.1996, No. 2745).

Answer: Mr. Denham: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security to what extent the support given by carers will be counted as a service for which national earnings could be calculated under the Social Security Benefit (Computation of Earnings) Regulations 1996 (SI 1196, No. 2745. [5092] Mr. Roger Evans: Regulation 4(2) of SI 1996 No. 2745 provides that, where a claimant performs a service for another person and that person makes no payment of earnings or pays less than that paid for a comparable employment in the area, the adjudicating authority shall treat the claimant as possessing such earnings as is reasonable for that employment. However, the claimant will not be treated as possessing earnings where the other person's means are insufficient for him to pay or to pay more for the service, or if the claimant is engaged by a charitable or voluntary organisation or is a volunteer, if the adjudicating authority is satisfied in any of those cases that it is reasonable for him to provide his services free of charge.

Secondary information