12.3 The figures in Table 3 do not make any provision for a possible sickness, injury and death benefit scheme. Even so, the outcome of the proposals would be to increase social security expenditure by roughly one half in real terms. The higher cost of old age supplements in 1978/79 reflects the phased extension of the welfare allowance scheme. The slow increase of expenditure on chronic sickness allowances assumes that, as with other welfare allowances, the response will take time to build up.
Numbers receiving social security payments
12.4
The number of public assistance cases at the end of March, 1977 was 48,917, as compared with the high point of 55,620 in December, 1975. The number of people covered by the scheme is always higher than the caseload, because many are family cases. Thus, in June, 1976, the caseload was 52,153, but the total number who benefitted was 125,200. The effect of the proposals in the Green Paper will be to increase the caseload by a further 10,000 by 1982/83.
12.5
The increase in the numbers receiving welfare allowances will be greater than the increase of public assistance cases. At the end of March, 1977 the number of disability allowance cases was 16,039 and of old age allowance cases was 56,398. The effect of the proposals in the Green Paper will be to increase the number of disability allowance cases by 400 and of old age allowance cases by 65,000; and to extend the scheme to 33,500 chronic sickness allowance cases. (There will be further increases in numbers due in particular to the growing number of old people).
Timetable for implementation
12.6 If the proposals were approved, it would not be feasible to implement them simultaneously. They would be introduced as resources permit, in a phased programme of development, beginning with those receiving public assistance, who need help most. The timetable proposed would be -
April 1978
October 1978
April 1979
(1) Improvements in public assistance scheme
(including interim payment of old age supplements to all those aged 70-75 not already receiving a welfare allowance).
(2) Extension of welfare allowance scheme to
those in residential institutional accommodation.
(3) Establishment of Social Security Appeal
Board.
Extension of welfare allowance scheme to those aged 73-74.
Extension of welfare allowance scheme to those aged 70-72.
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