4476 students apply for emergency benefit

Press, 13 December 1982, Page 18

4476 students apply for emergency benefit

Parliamentary reporter About 4500 students had applied for an emergency unemployment benefit in the first few weeks that they were eligible for it. the Minister of Social Welfare. Mr Young, told Parliament. He said that up to November 26. 4476 students had applied for the emergency unemployment benefit. Mr P. B. Goff (Lab. Roskill) said that in the first three weeks they were eligible to apply fo’r a benefit, more students had applied than during the whole of the. summer holiday period last year. He said that this was because the Government had abolished the Student Com-

m.uriity Service Programme. Replying to. a series of questions on.why the parents of students, who applied for an emergency benefit were subject to a means test. Mr Young said- that this was because it was an emergency benefit. Full time students were not eligible for the usual unemployment benefit. People who applied for the usual unemployment benefit had to.-provide details of their income. It was only applicants for emergency benefit who lived at home whose parents were subject to a means test. The test only took cash assets into account and not other material assets.