Supplementary Benefit was a

means-tested benefit A means test is a determination of whether an individual or family is eligible for government assistance or welfare, based upon whether the individual or family possesses the means to do without that help. Canada In Canada, means tests are use ...

in the United Kingdom, paid to people on low incomes, whether or not they were classed as

unemployed Unemployment, according to the OECD (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development), is people above a specified age (usually 15) not being in paid employment or self-employment but currently available for work during the referen ...

, such as pensioners, the sick and single parents. Introduced in November 1966, it replaced the earlier system of discretionary

National Assistance National Assistance was the main means-tested benefit in the United Kingdom from 1948 to 1966. It was established by the National Assistance Act 1948 and abolished by the Ministry of Social Security Act 1966, which established the Supplementary ...

payments and was intended to 'top up' other benefits, hence its name. To qualify a claimant had to demonstrate that their

capital Capital may refer to: Common uses * Capital city, a municipality of primary status ** List of national capital cities * Capital letter, an upper-case letter Economics and social sciences * Capital (economics), the durable produced goods used f ...

was below the limit, £6,000, and that their weekly income was less than their requirements, as calculated in accordance with the benefits regulations. The Supplementary Benefits Commission was established alongside the

Ministry of Social Security Ministry of Social Security or Department of Social Security is the government entity responsible for social security affairs. It may be a ministry office, a department, or, as in the United States, a nominally independent agency. Notable ones ar ...

by the

Ministry of Social Security Act 1966 The Ministry of Social Security Act 1966 was a piece of legislation passed by the United Kingdom Parliament to establish the Supplementary Benefits Scheme whereby the National Assistance Board was transformed into the Supplementary Benefit Board. ...

to work to administer the new benefits.

Richard Titmuss Richard Morris Titmuss (1907–1973) was a pioneering British social researcher and teacher. He founded the academic discipline of social administration (now largely known in universities as social policy) and held the founding chair in the su ...

was appointed vice-chair of the Commission. In 1968 the Ministry of Social Security was incorporated into the new

Department of Health and Social Security The Department of Health and Social Security (commonly known as the DHSS) was a ministry of the British government in existence for twenty years from 1968 until 1988, and was headed by the Secretary of State for Health and Social Services. His ...

(DHSS). The benefit was paid weekly, through giro cheques and

order book An order book is the list of orders (manual or electronic) that a trading venue (in particular stock exchanges) uses to record the interest of buyers and sellers in a particular financial instrument. A matching engine uses the book to determin ...

s, or fortnightly by the Unemployment Benefit Office by giro and cashed at local

post office A post office is a public facility and a retailer that provides mail services, such as accepting letters and parcels, providing post office boxes, and selling postage stamps, packaging, and stationery. Post offices may offer additional serv ...

Supplementary benefit appeal tribunals

Appeals went to supplementary benefit appeal tribunals. In 1984, supplementary benefit appeal tribunals and

National Insurance National Insurance (NI) is a fundamental component of the welfare state in the United Kingdom. It acts as a form of social security, since payment of NI contributions establishes entitlement to certain state benefits for workers and their famil ...

local tribunals were merged into the

Social Security Appeal Tribunal The Social Security Appeal Tribunal was a tribunal in the United Kingdom which heard appeals from decisions made by the Department for Work and Pensions, HM Revenue and Customs and local authorities regarding entitlement to various forms of socia ...

Abolition

The benefit was abolished and replaced by

Income Support Income Support is an income-related benefit in the United Kingdom for some people who are on a low income, but have a reason for not actively seeking work. Claimants of Income Support may be entitled to certain other benefits, for example, Housi ...

on 11 April 1988, as part of a wider overhaul of the benefits system.

References

{{UK benefits Social security in the United Kingdom