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WQ.374/2020
WRITTEN QUESTION TO THE MINISTER FOR SOCIAL SECURITY BY DEPUTY K.G. PAMPLIN OF ST. SAVIOUR
ANSWER TO BE TABLED ON TUESDAY 20th OCTOBER 2020
Question
Will the Minister provide the following information in respect of the Child Personal Benefit Scheme –
- how many applications were submitted each year for the last 3 years;
- how many applications were successful;
- what amount of money was paid out each year for the last 3 years; and
- what is the departmental procedure for supporting a child in response to a specialist's requirements?
Answer
Child Personal Care is a payment made under the Income Support (Special Payments) (Child Personal Care) Regulations 2014. It represents a weekly payment equivalent to the two higher levels of the Personal Care element of the impairment component of Income Support. Personal Care level 2 is paid at a value of £109.34 a week and Personal Care level 3 at £157.01 a week.
Unlike other payments made under Income Support, Child Personal Care is paid in respect of children with high care needs irrespective of their parents' income. It is targeted to children who have a high additional need for support with a range of everyday activities. It is assessed using the same medical assessment for children in Income Support households and is available for any physical, mental, sensory condition which means that the child has a high need for daily support with a range of normal activities.
- Customer & Local Services does not record the number of applications submitted, as there are a number of reasons that an application may not proceed to the assessment stage. Applications may be withdrawn or amended before they reach the assessment stage.
- Data that is available confirms that families were receiving Child Personal Care claims at the end of each year as follows:
2017 - 173 children had an open claim at year end 2018 - 185 children had an open claim at year end
2019 - 209 children had an open claim at year end
There is some limited variation of claims during the year.
- The amounts paid out for Child Personal Care claims are as follows:
2017 £1.2M 2018 £1.3M 2019 £1.5M
- The Child Personal Care is a financial benefit paid to a parent following an assessment of the child's personal care needs. The Health and Community Services and Children, Young People, Education and Skills Departments are responsible for supporting the child and the family in response to specialist medical and developmental requirements.