§ Mr. David Steelasked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) what would be the cost, and what would be the reduction in the numbers claiming supplementary benefits, if the retirement pension were raised by £1, £2, £3 and £4, 539W respectively, for a single person with similar adjustments for married couples;
(2) what would be the cost, and what would be the reduction in the numbers claiming supplementary benefits, if unemployment benefit were raised by £1, £2, £3 and £4, respectively;
Amount of increase in payment Estimated gross annual cost † Estimated reduction in number of regular recipients of supplementary benefit* £ £m. Thousands Retirement pension (with similar adjustments for married couples). 1 370 300 2 740 750 3 1,110 1,300 4 1,480 1,500 Unemployment benefit 1 17 9 2 34 30 3 51 45 4 68 58 Sickness, invalidity and industrial injury benefit. 1 52 21 2 104 58 3 156 89 4 204 110 * Based on a sample inquiry made in November 1972. † There would be consequential reductions in supplementary benefit expenditure but no reliable estimates of the savings are available.