§ Mr. Meacherasked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many households have so far successfully claimed, respectively, rent rebates and rent allowances under the Housing Finance Act 1972; what proportion in each case is this of the total estimated to be eligible; how many in each case were already in receipt of supplementary benefits, and what percentage in each case of eligible non-supplementary benefit recipients have claimed successfully.
§ Mr. EyreIt is broadly estimated that by May 1973 some 1¾ million council tenants, including 1 million in receipt of supplementary benefit, were benefiting under the rent rebate scheme, and upwards of 350,000, including 300,000 on supplementary benefit, under the rent allowance scheme for unfurnished private tenants which came fully into operation on 1st January 1973, with further applications in hand. These represent very approximately 85 per cent, and 50 per294W cent, respectively of the numbers of council and private tenants estimated to be eligible on the basis of earlier survey data.
The proportion of the total eligible who receive rebates and allowances but not supplementary benefit is continually changing as the schemes become more widely known and used and also with changing circumstances, including the recent increase in the needs allowances. It is estimated that, by May 1973, 70 per cent, to 80 per cent, of unfurnished tenants had successfully claimed rebates and 10 per cent, to 15 per cent, had successfully claimed allowances.