Clause 16
Welfare Reform Bill
4:45 pm
Anne McGuire (Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Disabled People), Department for Work and Pensions; Stirling, Labour)
The hon. Gentleman puts his finger on the nub of the matter. We have increased the capital limits—we doubled them in April 2000—and there is now a limit of between £6,000 and £16,000. For older people in residential care the limit is around £10,000. The clause will essentially allow us to deal with those who seek to circumvent the rules. They are the same rules as currently exist for income support, and they should be translated into the new legislation.