Supplementary Benefits (Hansard, 24 July 1973)

§ Mr. David Steel
asked the Secretary of State for Social Services in how many cases the full rent payment is not taken into account in calculating a claimant's entitlement to supplementary benefit; if he will break down this total into women under pensionable age with children drawing benefit, the unemployed, local authority tenants, furnished tenants and unfurnished tenants; and if he will detail
540W
(3) (a) what would be the cost and (b) what would be the reduction in the numbers claiming supplementary benefit if sickness benefit were raised by £1, £2, £3 and £4, respectively.

§ Mr. Dean
The information requested is given in the following table:

§ Sir K. Joseph
Information is not available in the form requested. The available statistics are given below. They relate to the total number of claims—successful or otherwise—made on grounds of low income. They exclude recipients of supplementary benefit or family income supplement for whom entitlement to the benefits in question is automatic.
the average amount of unmet rent for each group of claimants.

§ Mr. Dean
I regret that the information requested is not yet available for November 1972, when it was last obtained, but I will write to the hon. Member as soon as it becomes available.

§ Mr. David Steel
asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will publish in the OFFICIAL REPORT the value
541W
of supplementary benefits including rent as a percentage of average earnings since 1948 for single claimants, married claimants without children, with two children and with four children.

SUPPLEMENTARY BENEFIT RATES (INCLUDING RENT) AS A PERCENTAGE OF AVERAGE WEEKLY EARNINGS OF MALE MANUAL WORKERS IN OCTOBER*

Year Single householder Without children Married Persons With 2 children (both aged under 5) With 4 children (two aged under 5 and two aged5–10)

1954 … … … … 22.8 35.8 46.8 60.0

1955 … … … … 22.3 35.0 46.0 59.0

1956 … … … … 22.9 35.5 47.6 59.7

1957 … … … … 20.0 34.0 44.6 56.9

1958 … … … … 24.7 38.3 49.9 631

1959 … … … … 25.5 40.0 52.0 66.1

1963 … … … … 24.1 37.6 48.9 61.9

1961 … … … … 24.7 38.1 49.5 62.6

1962 … … … … 25.5 39.0 50.6 63.9

1963 … … … … 26.7 40.7 52.5 66.3

1964 … … … … 24.8 37.8 48.8 61 .5

1965 … … … … 27.3 41.6 53.4 67.2

1966 … … … … 28'4 43.1 54.9 68.7

1967 … … … … 28.9 43.7 55.7 69.7

1968 … … … … 28.4 42.9 55.0 68.9

1969 … … … … 27.6 41.7 53.3 66.6

1970 … … … … 26.3 39.8 50.8 63.6

1971 … … … … 26.9 40.5 51.8 64.7

1972 … … … … 25.9 39.0 49.9 62.4

*Taken from the inquiries conducted by the Department or Employment.

§ Mr. David Steel
asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what was the number of supplementary benefit claimants with unmet rent for each year since 1959, for the average amount of unmet rent per week, the percentage of

Year Number of claimants with rent not fully met Average amount of un-met rent Percentage of householders with un-met rent Number of householders receiving supplementary benefit

1959 … … 16,200 0.62 1.2 1,350,240

1960 … … 16,440 0.70 1.1 1,430,440

1961 … … 21,200 0.69 1.5 1,418,080

1962 … … 30,640 0.77 2.0 1,565,680

1963 … … 26,960 0.75 1.7 1,561,600

1964 … … 20,240 0'80 1.3 1,563,680

1965 … … 18,423 0.88 1.2 1,600,685

1966 … … No information available

1967 … … 18,762 0.95 0.9 2,146,203

1968 … … No information available

1969 … … 22,710 1.09 1.0 2,288,854

1970 … … 31,751 1.20 1.4 2,323,640

1971 … … 31,755 105 1.3 2,466,528

1972 … … No information available

542W

§ Mr. Dean
I regret that it is not possible to provide this information for the years 1948 to 1953. The following table gives estimated percentages for each year since 1954.
householders so affected, and the total number of supplementary benefit households receiving rent payments.

§ Mr. Dean
Following is the available information, which is for national assistance applicants before 1966:
543W

§ Mr. David Steel
asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will publish in the OFFICIAL REPORT the value of supplementary benefits excluding rent as a percentage of average earnings for each year since 1948, giving information for a

SUPPLEMENTARY BENEFIT SCALE RATES AS A PERCENTAGE OF AVERAGE WEEKLY EARNINGS* OF MALE MANUAL WORKERS IN OCTOBER

Year Single householder Without children Married Persons With 2 children (both aged under 5) With 4 children (two aged under 5 and two aged5–10)

1948 … … … … 17.4 29.0 39.9 52.9

1949 … … … … 16.8 28.0 38.6 51.2

1950 … … … … 17.3 28.9 39.6 52.9

1951 … … … … 18.1 30.1 41.6 55.4

1952 … … … … 19.6 33.1 45.4 60.5

1953 … … … … 18.5 31.2 42.8 57.1

1954 … … … … 17.1 28.9 39.6 52.8

1955 … … … … 16.8 28.3 39.0 52.0

1956 … … … … 16.8 28.2 39.1 52.1

1957 … … … … 15.9 26.6 37.0 49.3

1958 … … … … 17.5 29.6 40.9 54.2

1959 … … … … 18.5 31.4 43.2 57.2

1960 … … … … 17.2 29.2 40.3 53.3

1961 … … … … 17.4 29.3 40.4 55.5

1962 … … … … 18.1 30.1 41.5 54.7

1963 … … … … 19.0 31.2 42.8 56.6

1964 … … … … 17.5 28.9 39.6 52.3

1965 … … … … 19.4 32.0 43.5 57.3

1966† … … … … 18.7 (20.0) 30.9 (32.8) 42.0 (44.3) 55.3 (58.1)

1967 … … … … 20.1 33.0 44.7 58.7

1968 … … … … 19.8 32.4 44.1 58.0

1969† … … … … 18.3 (19.3) 30.0 (31.6) 40.9 (42.9) 53.8 (56.2)

1970† … … … … 17.1 (18.5) 28.0 (30.3) 38.0 (41.0) 49.8 (53.8)

1971 … … … … 18.8 30.6 41.5 54.5

1972 … … … 18.3 29.7 40.3 52.9

* Taken from the inquiries conducted by the Department of Employment.

† In these years supplementary benefit scale rates were increased in November: the entries in parenthesis show the relevant percentage of the increased rate.

§ Mr. David Steel
asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will publish in the OFFICIAL REPORT the number of claimants drawing national assistance/supplementary benefit for each year since 1948, and the number of dependants covered by these payments; and if he will

Thousands

Year Population of Great Britain (a) Claimants (b) Dependants (c) Claimants and Dependants (d) (d) as a percentage of (a)

1948 … 48,652 963 501 1,465 3.0

1949 … 48,941 * * * *

1950 … 49,188 1,285 630 1,915 3.9

1951 … 48,854 1,440 608 2,048 4.2

1952 … 49,056 1,636 754 2,390 4.9

1953 … 49,209 1,735 757 2,492 5.1

1954 … 49,378 1,778 716 2,494 5.1

1955 … 49,552 1,598 598 2,196 4.4

1956 … 49,787 1,637 627 2,264 4.5

1957 … 50,032 1,712 672 2,384 4.8

1958 … 50,250 1,649 712 2,361 4.7

1959 … 50,549 1,766 807 2,573 5.1

1960 … 50,952 1,857 821 2,678 5.3

1961 … 51,284 1,844 765 2,608 5.1

1962 … 51,906 2,007 96S 2,975 5.7

544W
single claimant, for married claimants without children, with two children and with four children.

§ Mr. Dean
The information requestec is contained in the following table:
express the total number of people dependent on national assistance/supplementary benefit as a percentage of the total population.

§ Mr. Dean
The information is given in the following table: 545W

1963 … 52,232 1,971 940 2,911 5.6

1964 … 52,608 1,961 813 2,774 5.3

1965 … 52,967 1,997 844 2,840 5.4

1966 … 53,176 * * * *

1967 … 53,488 2,559 1,289 3,848 7.2

1968 … 53,781 2,637 1,358 3,995 7.4

1969 … 54,022 2,688 1,409 4,097 7.6

1970 … 54,187 2,738 1,429 4,167 7.7

1971 … 53,828 2,909 1,655 4,564 8.5

1972 … 54,239 2,929 1,634 4,563 8.4

* Numbers of claimants and dependants are derived from annual sample inquiries in November of each year. No such inquiries were made in 1949 and 1966.

SUPPLEMENTARY BENEFIT RATES (INCLUDING RENT) AS A PERCENTAGE OF AVERAGE WEEKLY EARNINGS OF MALE MANUAL WORKERS IN OCTOBER*
Year	Single householder	Without children	Married Persons With 2 children (both aged under 5)	With 4 children (two aged under 5 and two aged5–10)
1954	…	…	…	…	22.8	35.8	46.8	60.0
1955	…	…	…	…	22.3	35.0	46.0	59.0
1956	…	…	…	…	22.9	35.5	47.6	59.7
1957	…	…	…	…	20.0	34.0	44.6	56.9
1958	…	…	…	…	24.7	38.3	49.9	631
1959	…	…	…	…	25.5	40.0	52.0	66.1
1963	…	…	…	…	24.1	37.6	48.9	61.9
1961	…	…	…	…	24.7	38.1	49.5	62.6
1962	…	…	…	…	25.5	39.0	50.6	63.9
1963	…	…	…	…	26.7	40.7	52.5	66.3
1964	…	…	…	…	24.8	37.8	48.8	61 .5
1965	…	…	…	…	27.3	41.6	53.4	67.2
1966	…	…	…	…	28'4	43.1	54.9	68.7
1967	…	…	…	…	28.9	43.7	55.7	69.7
1968	…	…	…	…	28.4	42.9	55.0	68.9
1969	…	…	…	…	27.6	41.7	53.3	66.6
1970	…	…	…	…	26.3	39.8	50.8	63.6
1971	…	…	…	…	26.9	40.5	51.8	64.7
1972	…	…	…	…	25.9	39.0	49.9	62.4
*Taken from the inquiries conducted by the Department or Employment.

	Year	Number of claimants with rent not fully met	Average amount of un-met rent	Percentage of householders with un-met rent	Number of householders receiving supplementary benefit
1959	…	…	16,200	0.62	1.2	1,350,240
1960	…	…	16,440	0.70	1.1	1,430,440
1961	…	…	21,200	0.69	1.5	1,418,080
1962	…	…	30,640	0.77	2.0	1,565,680
1963	…	…	26,960	0.75	1.7	1,561,600
1964	…	…	20,240	0'80	1.3	1,563,680
1965	…	…	18,423	0.88	1.2	1,600,685
1966	…	…	No information available
1967	…	…	18,762	0.95	0.9	2,146,203
1968	…	…	No information available
1969	…	…	22,710	1.09	1.0	2,288,854
1970	…	…	31,751	1.20	1.4	2,323,640
1971	…	…	31,755	105	1.3	2,466,528
1972	…	…	No information available

SUPPLEMENTARY BENEFIT SCALE RATES AS A PERCENTAGE OF AVERAGE WEEKLY EARNINGS* OF MALE MANUAL WORKERS IN OCTOBER
Year	Single householder	Without children	Married Persons With 2 children (both aged under 5)	With 4 children (two aged under 5 and two aged5–10)
1948	…	…	…	…	17.4	29.0	39.9	52.9
1949	…	…	…	…	16.8	28.0	38.6	51.2
1950	…	…	…	…	17.3	28.9	39.6	52.9
1951	…	…	…	…	18.1	30.1	41.6	55.4
1952	…	…	…	…	19.6	33.1	45.4	60.5
1953	…	…	…	…	18.5	31.2	42.8	57.1
1954	…	…	…	…	17.1	28.9	39.6	52.8
1955	…	…	…	…	16.8	28.3	39.0	52.0
1956	…	…	…	…	16.8	28.2	39.1	52.1
1957	…	…	…	…	15.9	26.6	37.0	49.3
1958	…	…	…	…	17.5	29.6	40.9	54.2
1959	…	…	…	…	18.5	31.4	43.2	57.2
1960	…	…	…	…	17.2	29.2	40.3	53.3
1961	…	…	…	…	17.4	29.3	40.4	55.5
1962	…	…	…	…	18.1	30.1	41.5	54.7
1963	…	…	…	…	19.0	31.2	42.8	56.6
1964	…	…	…	…	17.5	28.9	39.6	52.3
1965	…	…	…	…	19.4	32.0	43.5	57.3
1966†	…	…	…	…	18.7 (20.0)	30.9 (32.8)	42.0 (44.3)	55.3 (58.1)
1967	…	…	…	…	20.1	33.0	44.7	58.7
1968	…	…	…	…	19.8	32.4	44.1	58.0
1969†	…	…	…	…	18.3 (19.3)	30.0 (31.6)	40.9 (42.9)	53.8 (56.2)
1970†	…	…	…	…	17.1 (18.5)	28.0 (30.3)	38.0 (41.0)	49.8 (53.8)
1971	…	…	…	…	18.8	30.6	41.5	54.5
1972	…	…		…	18.3	29.7	40.3	52.9
* Taken from the inquiries conducted by the Department of Employment.
† In these years supplementary benefit scale rates were increased in November: the entries in parenthesis show the relevant percentage of the increased rate.

						Thousands
Year	Population of Great Britain (a)	Claimants (b)	Dependants (c)	Claimants and Dependants (d)	(d) as a percentage of (a)
1948	…	48,652	963	501	1,465	3.0
1949	…	48,941	*	*	*	*
1950	…	49,188	1,285	630	1,915	3.9
1951	…	48,854	1,440	608	2,048	4.2
1952	…	49,056	1,636	754	2,390	4.9
1953	…	49,209	1,735	757	2,492	5.1
1954	…	49,378	1,778	716	2,494	5.1
1955	…	49,552	1,598	598	2,196	4.4
1956	…	49,787	1,637	627	2,264	4.5
1957	…	50,032	1,712	672	2,384	4.8
1958	…	50,250	1,649	712	2,361	4.7
1959	…	50,549	1,766	807	2,573	5.1
1960	…	50,952	1,857	821	2,678	5.3
1961	…	51,284	1,844	765	2,608	5.1
1962	…	51,906	2,007	96S	2,975	5.7

1963	…	52,232	1,971	940	2,911	5.6
1964	…	52,608	1,961	813	2,774	5.3
1965	…	52,967	1,997	844	2,840	5.4
1966	…	53,176	*	*	*	*
1967	…	53,488	2,559	1,289	3,848	7.2
1968	…	53,781	2,637	1,358	3,995	7.4
1969	…	54,022	2,688	1,409	4,097	7.6
1970	…	54,187	2,738	1,429	4,167	7.7
1971	…	53,828	2,909	1,655	4,564	8.5
1972	…	54,239	2,929	1,634	4,563	8.4
* Numbers of claimants and dependants are derived from annual sample inquiries in November of each year. No such inquiries were made in 1949 and 1966.