---

Dept for Work and Pensions

Answer

Mr. Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (1) if he will alter the rules relating to income support so as to allow recipients of grants from the Thalidomide Trust to spend such grants on ongoing household expenses without losing their income support entitlement; [211186] (2) if he will alter the rules relating to (a) income support, (b) care funding and (c) the Independent Living Fund to allow recipients of grants from the Thalidomide Trust to take their full entitlement to such grants at the beginning of the year without losing their entitlement to those benefits. [211187] Mr. Pond: Payments to beneficiaries of the Thalidomide Trust are treated in the same way as other personal injury payments, for income related benefits, including income support; capital that is placed in trust for an individual can be disregarded. Income from an individual's trust can also be disregarded as long as the income is used for items other than food, ordinary clothing or footwear, household fuel, rent or rates, certain housing costs or water charges other than day- to-day living expenses. These items are provided for by income-related benefits. The Independent Living Funds broadly follow income support policy on this issue. Independent Living Fund payments are intended to provide for personal care and domestic assistance. Therefore, income from an individual's trust can be disregarded as long as no part of the income is used for personal care or domestic assistance. The financial assessment for residential accommodation is assessed by local authority social services, taking into account the Charging for Residential Accommodation Guide issued by the Department of Health. Payments from the Thalidomide Trust are taken into account in the same way as they are for assessing income-related benefits. For home care charges, social services have a minimum requirement to follow the Fairer Charging for Home Care and other non-residential social services guidance, issued to local authorities by the Department of Health in 2001, but can be more generous if they wish. We recently received representations regarding the treatment of payments to the Thalidomide Trust's beneficiaries, and to ensure the matters raised receive the appropriate consideration a meeting has been arranged with the Director of the Thalidomide Trust.

Secondary information

Type

Written question

Reference

430 c1569W; 211186;211187

Session

2004-05

Subjects

Care homes Benefits rules Income support Fees and charges Eligibility Grants Independent Living Fund Home care services Recipients Means-tested benefits Social security benefits Trusts Thalidomide Trust

Link

View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk