WordNet
n. benefits paid to bring incomes up to minimum levels established by law [syn: social assistance, national assistance]
Wikipedia
Supplementary Benefit was a means-tested benefit in the United Kingdom, paid to people on low incomes, whether or not they were classed as unemployed, such as pensioners, the sick and single parents. Introduced in November 1966, it replaced the earlier system of discretionary National Assistance payments and was intended to 'top up' other benefits, hence its name.
The Supplementary Benefits Commission was established alongside the Ministry of Social Security by the Ministry of Social Security Act 1966 to work to administer the new benefits. Richard Titmuss was appointed vice-chair of the Commission.
In 1968 the Ministry of Social Security was incorporated into the new Department of Social Security (DHSS).
The benefit was paid weekly, through giro cheques and order books, or fortnightly by the Unemployment Benefit Office by giro and cashed at local post offices.
Unemployed people were the largest proportion of claimants, usually those who were under the age of 18 and had not yet entered employment, or those who had been unemployed longer than twelve months and exhausted eligibility for Unemployment Benefit.
Usage examples of "supplementary benefit".
In my opinion it's as contemptible as acting for a landlord who's trying to evict a one-parent family on supplementary benefit.
Mrs Beavers herself had often had to read or explain to Jackson some notification of change or renewal, or some information about supplementary benefit or rate rebate.