HC Deb 02 December 1963 vol 685 cc121-2W
Mr. A. Lewis

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance if he will give the number of persons receiving National Assistance grants towards the payment of their rents at the latest convenient date; what was the average payment made to each recipient; and what was the total payment made in the 12 months up to the latest convenient date.

Mrs. Thatcher

In October. 1963, the number of recipients of weekly national assistance allowances who were householders for whom an allowance for rent and rates would be added to the appropriate scale rates was 1,523,000. For reasons explained to the House on previous occasions, it is not possible to state a sum representing the part of expenditure on national assistance which is attributable to rent and rates, but the average amount paid by householders at the end of 1962 was 23s. 7d. a week.