H—9

EMERGENCY BENEFITS In cases of hardship a special benefit may be granted at the discretion of the Social Security Commission to any person who is not qualified for any other benefit under the Act but who by reason of age, physical or mental disability, or for any other reason is unable to earn a sufficient livelihood for himself and his dependants. Emergency benefits may also be granted in lieu of other benefits where it is considered that a course of medical treatment or training in any occupation would be beneficial. As far as possible these benefits are related to the type of benefit which they most closely resemble. Particulars of emergency benefits granted during the year and in force at 31st March, 1950, together with expenditure for the year, are shown in the following table :

Table 13—Emergency Benefits: Number Granted, Number in Force, and Expenditure, 1949-50

Payment of additional benefit for a dependent wife was included in 10 of the age, 5 of the invalids', 138 of the unemployment, and 116 of the sickness benefits in force at 31st March, 1950, and in 277 of the unemployment and 161 of the sickness benefits granted during the year ended 31st March, 1950. WAR SERVICEMEN'S DEPENDANTS' ALLOWANCES Parents of deceased members of His Majesty's Forces and the British or New Zealand Mercantile Marine in receipt of benefits under Part II of the Social Security Act, 1938, may, under certain conditions, have the benefit increased by an amount not exceeding £26 a year. At the 31st March, 1950, there were 1,816 of these allowances in force paid in conjunction with 1,623 age, 181 widows', 11 invalids', and 1 miner's benefits. This represents an increase of 142 over the figure of 1,674 for last year. RECIPROCAL BENEFITS The information in the following paragraphs is intended to show the extent to which reciprocal agreements operate within the social security scheme, and the benefits under this heading are already included in the ordinary statistics relating to social security benefits.

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Emergency Benefits Related to Number Granted Year Ended 31st March, 1950. Number in Force at 31st March, 1950. Expenditure, Year Ended 31st, March, 1950. Age Widows' Orphans' Family Invalids' 44 18 1 193 3 116 128* 12f 190 J 64 £ 10,097 16,192 818 3,189 7,524 Sub-total, monthly benefits .. 259 510 37,820 Unemployment Prisoners' dependants' Sickness 1,461 161 849 1,049 98 620 146,407 95,928 Sub-total, weekly benefits 2,471 1,767 242,335 Total 2,730 2,277 280,155 * Includes 28 receiving mothers' allowance of £78 a year. t In respect of 14 children. 1 In respect of 231 children (119 beneficiaries with one child and 41 with two children).