Old People Who Can't Get Their Homes Back

Chronicle (Levin), 1 September 1948, Page 7

Old People Who Can't Get Their Homes Back

WELLlNG'DONr, Au^usi :il. An aiuLMiclment of'tlvc t?air Iveuth Acl, to (Miahle* as« btnu'ficiaries to rega;o. liossi'ssion of their properties if tor their ntvu oeeupation, was sought 111 the petition (>f t'lara l'hilis .lanit^s au-i tM others, niostly of Wellingtoit, pre seuted to tlie llouse of Repre.sentatives todav l>v Mr. Iiowden. Tlie p'etition saiil a mnulier of ape lieuefieiaries, ineiudin^ Tvidows, whose life savinys were ime^teil in property. owned houses of whieli they Y\e'unahie lo reyain possession Oecanse th tenants were proleeted under tlie aet. The net rent reeeived was deemed to l>e ineome for the purposes of the JSoeia Seeurity Acl although tnany heno lieifiries who reeeived rent had theaiselves to l>ay board and lodgino costny as nnieh hs'the net rent or more. X" deduelion aganisl net tent was allowed 011*1 this aeeount. Although oeeupanev of a property by the owners would uot ell'ect h redm-tion in tlm ape benefit, was unjust that age benelits should 1>" redueed by what nii^ht uctnally be a fictitious ineome. Many iiped person--wonld, irrespeetiv^j^if 1 Ih>, pnestipn bt rent, jirefer tiie ebmfurt bl their ow:: hotnedo living. ijl lodyine-s.yl'et ltioiied - sugWsiteU, as/an al'ternatiye to ijiving benefteiaru-H Ihe riyht to repossefstheir homes for persontil oeenjnit ion tlitil ihe Soentl Vleeurity Aet be nnu-nde . Ui^i-lLiVri.avr.reftHOi^WH sani"for boa/L .un(l lodginys to be deduete.d from tlie ij e t rent reeeived, in, the ealenlation p. permiftfliblo age bonefits. •