OVER £12,500,000 BILL

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20632, 13 August 1941, Page 3

OVER £12,500,000 BILL

PENSIONS AND BENEFITS DOMINION EXPENDITURE (Per Press Association.) WELLINGTON, this day. The Social Security Department, which administers all forms of pensions as well as the benefits under the new scheme, has 18 different forms of expenditure, according , to its annual report presented to Parliament yesterday by the Minister, the Hon. W. E. Parry. Pensioners and other beneficiaries a year ago numbered 164,167, involving gross payments amounting to £11,494,.102, but the corresponding figures ai March 31 last were: Beneficiaries, 210,928: payments, £12,510,608. Last year was the first in which universal superannuation was paid. Claims totalling 40,724 were received. Rejections numbered 1316. The expenditure last year was £240,336. The annual value of universal pensions now operating is £366,000. Family anil Age Benefits Family benefits having been extended, they increased last year by 5573 to a total of 16,626. Payments went up from £252,000 to £411,000. The age benefit is the most important financially. There are 97,606 in force, an increase of 4344 and the annual liability is £7,127,821. Unemployment expenditure decreased by £125,336 and at the end oi the year 1,735 males and 171 females were receiving this benefit, comparedwith 2008 males and 139 females a year previously. War and veterans’ pensions were drawn last year by 26,042 persons. The total expenditure was £1,684,777, showing a slight decrease over the previous year.