asked the Minister for Social Welfare whether he will consider making self-employed people eligible for family income supplement, subject to tight safeguards as to accounts, to ensure that the income figures supplied are accurate and not understated, in view of the fact that an employee with four children earning £120 a week can claim £25 a week in family income supplement whereas a person who is self-employed and earning £120 a week can claim nothing.
Written Answers. - Family Income Supplement Scheme.
151.
The family income supplement scheme is designed to provide cash support for employees with families who are on low earnings. In many cases workers may be worse off or only marginally better off than if they were claiming disability or unemployment benefit and the scheme is intended to redress this situation. These considerations do not apply in the case of self-employed persons who are not covered for these social insurance benefits and for that reason they are not included in the scheme. It is not proposed to alter the existing arrangements.