Some benefits contained, until recently, openly discriminatory
provisions to limit women's entitlement to benefit. Invalid Care Allowance, for the carers of
severely disabled people, was barred to married women until a case in the European court
overturned the rule. The Non-Contributory Invalidity Pension, introduced in 1975, was
introduced to help people who did not qualify for National Insurance; but it was at first
refused to married women.