CIS_144_1993
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UK Social Security and Child Support Commissioners' Decisions |
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You are here: BAILII >> Databases >> UK Social Security and Child Support Commissioners' Decisions >> Rider v. Chief Adjudication Officer [1996] UKSSCSC CIS_144_1993 (23 January 1996) URL: http://www.bailii.org/uk/cases/UKSSCSC/1996/CIS_144_1993.html Cite as: [1996] UKSSCSC CIS_144_1993 |
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Rider v. Chief Adjudication Officer [1996] UKSSCSC CIS_144_1993 (23 January 1996)
Mrs. R. F. M. Heggs CIS/144/1993
2.8.93
CA (Nourse, McCowan and Thorpe LJJ)
23.1.96
Applicable amount - claimant in receipt of attendance allowance in respect of her disabled daughter - whether "in receipt of attendance allowance" for the purposes of severe disability premium
The claimant was a lone parent who received attendance allowance in respect of her disabled daughter who was aged 14. An adjudication officer decided that her applicable amount should include a disabled child premium under paragraph 14 of Schedule 2 to the Income Support (General) Regulations 1987 but decided that it should not include a severe disability premium under paragraph 13. She appealed on the ground that she was a "severely disabled person" within paragraph 13(2)(a) because she was "in receipt of attendance allowance". Her appeal was dismissed by a tribunal and a further appeal was dismissed by the Commissioner. The claimant appealed. The Court of Appeal heard her case at the same time as two appeals in which claimants advanced a similar argument under paragraph 12(1)(a) in respect of the additional condition for a disability premium.
Held, dismissing the appeals, that:
in the context of paragraphs 11 to 14 of Schedule 2, the words "in receipt of" in paragraphs 12(1)(a)(i) and 13(2)(a)(i) could not be read literally and there had to be imported an additional requirement that the attendance allowance should be payable in respect of the recipient's own needs.
"The only point at issue in this particular appeal is whether or not the claimant is in receipt of attendance allowance within the meaning set out in paragraph 13 of Schedule 2. She has no non-dependents aged 18 or over living with her and she is not in receipt of invalid care allowance. The tribunal take the view that a proper interpretation of paragraph 13 of Schedule 2 is that the claimant does not fall within the definition. Paragraph 2(a) wherein the definition of a severely disabled person is contained means that attendance allowance must be in payment in respect of the claimant not whereas in this case it is paid to the claimant but in respect of another person. They are fortified in this view by looking at sub-paragraph (iii) of the same subsection 2(a) where clearly it is intended that the invalid care allowance therein referred to should be in payment in respect of caring for the disabled person. The tribunal appreciate the argument that by virtue of regulation 6 of the Social Security (Attendance Allowance) (No. 2) Regulations 1975 it is provided that a person shall be entitled to an attendance allowance in respect of a child in the case of sub-paragraph (a) it shall be his mother if the child is living with her. The view of the tribunal is that this does not bring the claimant in this case within the definition of paragraph 13 of Schedule 2, but the effect of regulation 6 of the Social Security (Attendance Allowance) (No. 2) Regulations merely to provide authority to pay to another person when clearly it is not possible for the attendance allowance to be paid to the disabled person himself because of his age. The tribunal take the view that the effect of regulation 6 of the Social Security (Attendance Allowance) (No. 2) Regulations 1975 merely entitles the claimant in this case to actually receive payment of attendance allowance. It is merely a device for facilitating a cash transfer. It does not entitle her to attendance allowance in her own right. The tribunal take the view that a commonsense interpretation of the various regulations clearly means that someone such as the claimant in this case who clearly is not disabled shall not be treated as disabled for technical reasons. They take the view that Schedule 2, paragraph 13 clearly has in mind that the attendance allowance should be in payment in respect of the disabled person. It is conceded by all that the effect of the amendment made to Schedule 2 of the Income Support (General) Regulations 1987 on 9 April 1990 when paragraph 14(B) was added effectively bars this claim as from 9 April 1990. The tribunal take the view for the reasons set out above that in fact the claimant is not entitled prior to that date. Regulation 6 of the Social Security (Attendance Allowance) (No. 2) Regulations clearly states that the mother is entitled to an attendance allowance but in respect of the child. The addition of these words clearly indicate to the tribunal that the mother of the child was not intended to be able to state that the attendance allowance was payable in respect of her in order to bring her within the province of paragraph 13 of Schedule 2."
"13.- (1) The condition is that the claimant is a severely disabled person.
(2) For the purposes of sub-paragraph (1), a claimant shall be treated as being a severely disabled person if, and only if -
(a) in the case of a single claimant or a lone parent
(i) he is in receipt of attendance allowance, and
(ii)-(iii) ..."
The sole question at issue in the present appeal is whether the claimant was "in receipt of attendance allowance" for the purposes of paragraph 13(2)(a)(i), it being accepted that she satisfied all other conditions of entitlement.
"14. The condition is that a child or young person for whom the claimant or a partner of his is responsible and who is a member of the claimant's household -
(a) has no capital or capital which, if calculated in accordance with Part V in like manner as for the claimant, except where otherwise provided, would not exceed £3,000; and
(b) is in receipt of attendance allowance or mobility allowance or both ... or
(c) is blind or treated as blind within the meaning of paragraph 12(1)(a)(iii) and (2)."
"14B. For the purposes of this Part of this Schedule, a person shall be regarded as being in receipt of any benefit if, and only if, it is paid in respect of him and shall be so regarded only for any period in respect of which that benefit is paid."
Date: 2 August 1993 (signed) Mrs. R. F. M. Heggs
Commissioner
The claimant appealed to the Court of Appeal and her case was heard together with the appeals of two other claimants. The decision of the Court of Appeal follows.
Mr. R. Drabble QC (instructed by Newham Rights Centre, London E7) appeared on behalf of the Appellant.
Mr. J. R. McManus (instructed by the Office of the Solicitor to the Department of Social Security, London WC2A 2LS) appeared on behalf of the Respondent.
LORD JUSTICE NOURSE: These three appeals from social security Commissioners raise an identical question of construction on paragraphs 12 and 13 of Schedule 2 to the Income Support (General) Regulations 1987 ("the 1987 Regulations"), which make provision for the payment of disability premiums and severe disability premiums respectively as elements of income support. Shortly stated, the question is whether the words "in receipt of attendance allowance", where they appear in those paragraphs, are to be read just as they stand or as importing the additional requirement that the allowance should be payable in respect of the recipient's own needs. The question was only capable of arising up to 8 April 1990, after which date the regulations were amended so as to eliminate it.
The appellant claimants are Daphne Florence Rider, Carole Doyle and Anthony Palmer. Each of them was, at the material time, a lone parent in receipt of income support who had living with him or her a severely disabled child under the age of 16 in respect of whom he or she was paid attendance allowance and, in the case of Mrs. Rider, mobility allowance as well. In each case there was included in the award of income support a disabled child premium payable under paragraph 14 of Schedule 2 to the 1987 Regulations, but not a disability premium or severe disability premium as well.
At the material time entitlement to attendance allowance was governed by section 35 of the Social Security Act 1975, which awarded it to severely disabled persons who satisfied the statutory requirements. Subsection (5) of that section enabled regulations to provide for the modification of subsections (1) to (4) in relation to any severely disabled person who was under the age of 16. That power was exercised by regulation 6 of the Social Security (Attendance Allowance) (No. 2) Regulations 1975, so as to provide that a person should be entitled to attendance allowance in respect of a child who satisfied or was treated as having satisfied the statutory requirements. So far as material, regulation 6(4) provided:
"The person who in any given case shall be entitled to an attendance allowance in respect of a child shall be -
(a) in the case of a child living with his mother, his mother;
(b) in the case of a child to whom sub-paragraph (a) does not apply, if the child is living with his father, his father; ..."
Thus there is no doubt that in each of these cases it was the parent, and not the child, who was entitled to the attendance allowance in respect of the child. In regard to mobility allowance, on the other hand, the entitlement, in the case of a child aged five years or more, was the child's and not the parent's.
It is convenient to deal first with the case of Mrs. Rider, who was paid both attendance and mobility allowances in respect of her child. She claims that, in addition to a disabled child premium under paragraph 14 of Schedule 2 to the 1987 Regulations, her income support ought also to have included a severe disability premium under paragraph 13, which, so far as material, provides:
"Severe disability premium
(2) For the purposes of sub-paragraph (1), a claimant shall be treated as being a severely disabled person if, and only if -
(a) in the case of a single claimant or a lone parent -
(i) he is in receipt of attendance allowance, ..."
Both the social security appeal tribunal and the learned Commissioner, Mrs. R.F.M. Heggs, rejected Mrs. Rider's claim.
Mr. Drabble QC, for Mrs. Rider, submits that since she not only was paid, but was paid in her own right, the attendance allowance in respect of her child, she was "in receipt of" the allowance within paragraph 13 (2) (a)(i) and was thus to be treated, fictionally, as a severely disabled person who satisfied the condition specified in paragraph 13(1) in respect of severe disability premium; see also paragraph 4 of Schedule 2. Mr. McManus, for the Chief Adjudication Officer, submits that in the context of paragraphs 11, 12, 13 and 14 of Schedule 2 the words "in receipt of" cannot be read thus literally; that they do not include receipt of attendance allowance payable in respect of the needs of another person; and that where a parent receives the allowance in respect of a child the regulations assume that it is received by the child and not by the parent.
Both sides are agreed that the terms of paragraph 14 are of crucial importance, though each relies on them for the opposite construction to the others. So far as material, it provides:
"Disabled Child Premium
(a) has no capital or capital [not exceeding £3,000] and
(b) is in receipt of attendance allowance or mobility allowance or both or is no longer in receipt of that allowance because he is a patient provided that the child or young person continues to be a member of the family; or
(c) is blind or treated as blind ..."
In evaluating the rival submissions of Mr. Drabble and Mr. McManus, I start by making an overall comparison of paragraphs 13 and 14. Paragraph 13 is expressed to be concerned only with single claimants, lone parents and their partners; paragraph 14 only with children and young persons. There seems to be no reason for importing the needs of either class into a paragraph which is concerned with the needs of the other. As Mr. McManus has submitted, since paragraph 14 was clearly intended to provide for additional income support to meet the needs of disabled children and young persons there is no warrant for supposing that those needs are also to be provided for under paragraph 13.
I find that submission compelling in itself, but it is supported by a closer consideration of the wording of paragraph 14(b), which refers, amongst others, to a child or young person "who is in receipt of attendance allowance". Mr. McManus points out, correctly, that on Mr. Drabble's construction a child can never fulfil that description because he has no right to be paid the allowance; the right is the parent's. Mr. Drabble seeks to meet that difficulty by saying that those words relate only to a young person, who does have a right to be paid the allowance, or to a child in respect of mobility allowance, where, as I have said, if the child is aged five years or more, the entitlement is the child's and not the parent's. On general principles of construction, I decline to read paragraph 14 in that fragmented or distributive manner. I think it clear that sub-paragraph (b) was intended to refer, amongst others, to a child who was in receipt of attendance allowance, and that can only mean a child in respect of whose needs the allowance is payable; similarly in regard to the lone parent referred to in paragraph 13(2)(a)(i).
This indeed was the approach of Mrs. Commissioner Heggs, whose decision contains an admirable summary of the interplay between paragraphs 14 and 13:
"I take it for the purposes of paragraph 14 that 'in receipt of attendance allowance' must mean that the child satisfies the conditions of entitlement. To construe those words otherwise would mean that no disabled child premium could ever be awarded because the parent and not the child would be 'in receipt of attendance allowance'. Paragraph 13 contains the additional conditions for the payment of severe disability premium and uses the same words 'in receipt of attendance allowance' but in relation to the claimant. The conditions for premiums laid down in the various paragraphs of Schedule 2 must be construed as a whole."
Whether on the narrower or on the broader ground, I think it clear that the submissions of Mr. McManus are to be preferred to those of Mr. Drabble. Each of them referred us to observations in the House of Lords in Stock v. Frank Jones (Tipton) Ltd. [1978] 1 WLR 231, which bear on the limited circumstances in which the court may depart from the plain words of a statute. In my view this is not such a case. When paragraphs 13 and 14 are read together the meaning of "in receipt of" in paragraph 13(2)(a)(i) is not plain. It can only be ascertained on an overall comparison of the two paragraphs and a particular consideration of the same words in paragraph 14(b) . When that exercise has been carried out, it is seen that the words are not to be read just as they stand but as importing the additional requirement that the attendance allowance should be payable in respect of the recipient's own needs.
I turn briefly to the cases of Miss Doyle and Mr. Palmer, each of whom was paid attendance allowance, but not mobility allowance, in respect of his or her child. At any rate by the time that the cases reached the commissioners (Mr. J. B. Morcom in Miss Doyle's case and Mrs. Heggs in Mr. Palmer's), each of them was claiming that, in addition to a disabled child premium under paragraph 14, his or her income support ought also to have included, not a severe disability premium under paragraph 13, but a disability premium under paragraphs 11 and 12 of Schedule 2 to the 1987 regulations. Miss Lieven, for Miss Doyle and Mr. Palmer, has taken us through the material provisions of those two paragraphs. Although they are in certain respects different from those of paragraph 13, both the question and the answer in these two cases are substantially the same as those in Mrs. Rider's case. That was the view of the Commissioners in these two cases, each of whom followed and applied the decision in Mrs. Rider's.
So far as material, paragraphs 11 and 12 provide:
"Disability Premium
(a) where the claimant is a single claimant or a lone parent, he is aged less than 60 and the additional condition specified in paragraph 12 is satisfied; or
(b) where the claimant has a partner ...
Additional condition for the Higher Pensioner and Disability Premiums
(a) the claimant or, as the case may be, his partner-
(i) is in receipt of one or more of the following benefits: attendance allowance, mobility allowance, mobility supplement, invalidity pension under section 15 of the Social Security Act, or severe disablement allowance under section 36 of that Act; (but, in the case of invalidity pension or severe disablement allowance only where it is paid in respect of him) ..."
Those final words, effectively a proviso to paragraph 12(1)(a)(i), were added by an amendment which came into force at the same time as the other provisions of paragraphs 11 and 12.
It will be seen that, apart from that proviso, the material words of paragraph 12(1)(a)(i) are the same as those of paragraph 13(2)(a)(i). The additional condition is satisfied if the claimant is "in receipt of" attendance allowance. Thus, the proviso apart, a comparison of paragraphs 12 and 14 produces the same result as a comparison of paragraphs 13 and 14. There has been some debate as to the effect of the proviso, the purpose of which is unclear, in particular of the words "only where it is paid in respect of him". What is clear to my mind is that, on a reading of paragraphs 11 and 12 together, the "him" referred to in the proviso is the claimant as distinct from his partner. It goes no further than that. So the proviso has no effect on the result in either of these two cases.
For these reasons I think that the decisions of the commissioners in Miss Doyle's and Mr. Palmer's cases were, like that in Mrs. Rider's, correct. I would therefore dismiss the appeals in all three cases.
LORD JUSTICE McCOWAN: I agree.
LORD JUSTICE THORPE: I also agree.
Order: appeals dismissed; legal aid taxation of the appellant's costs in each case.