Child's Special Allowance

Child's Special Allowance was a payment under the United Kingdom system of Social Security.

It was instituted by Harold Macmillan in 1959 for the orphaned children of divorced parents,^[1]

It was a Contributory non-means tested benefit, paid in addition to Child benefit to a divorced woman whose husband had died, whose ex-partner had been paying maintenance and who had not got a new partner. It was not taxable, but was taken into account for meanstested benefits.^[2]

It was abolished, as far as new claims were concerned, in April 1987. At that point it was paid at a rate of £8.05 per eligible child. Payments continued for existing beneficiaries under the scheme of transitional protection.

References

1. How Social Security Works: An Introduction to Benefits in Britain – Paul Spicker – Google Books. Books.google.co.uk. Retrieved 18 October 2013.
2. Welfare Benefits Handbook. Child Poverty Action Group. 1988.