Vol. 424 No. 2
172 Mr. Bell asked the Minister for Social Welfare when the special payment for the mortgage/rent subsidy/purchase relievement payment was terminated; the amount of money saved as a result of its abolition; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Under the supplementary welfare allowance scheme, health boards may pay a weekly supplement towards rent or mortgage interest payments where the payment exceeds £5 per week. No measures have been introduced to discontinue these payments.
Recently issued guidelines to health boards in relation to exceptional needs payments indicated that such payments were not appropriate for payment of arrears of rent for people on differential rents and that situations of this kind should be referred to the local authority concerned.
