§ Mr. Peter Bottomleyasked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will publish in the Official Report the number of claimants eligible but not claiming (a) rent rebates, (b) rent allowances for unfurnished tenants, and (c) rent allowances for furnished tenants on what basis his Department's calculation is made; what is the total value of unclaimed benefit for each of the three rebates; and what are the corresponding figures for the past five years.
§ Mr. ArmstrongFollowing are the available estimates:
Estimates of unclaimed allowances for furnished tenancies are not available.
NUMBER OF TENANTS ELIGIBLE BUT NOT CLAIMING RENT REBATES AND ALLOWANCES—ENGLAND AND WALES: 1973–1976 thousands Rent Rebates Number Rent allowances (unfurnished) Number May 1973 … 300–350 350–450 April 1974 … 300–350 350–400 April 1975 … 300–350 300–350 April 1976 … 250–300 Not available The total value of unclaimed benefit at April 1975 is estimated at around £20 million per annum in the case of rent rebates and at around £30 million per annum in the case of unfurnished allowances. Reliable estimates for earlier years are not available.
The above figures are derived from an estimate of the numbers eligible for a rebate or allowance based on the Family Expenditure Survey and from returns by local authorities of the number of rebates or allowances granted. They are subject to sampling error and should be treated with caution.
§ Mr. Peter Bottomleyasked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will publish in the Official Report the total expenditure on rent rebates and allowances for each year since 1970; and 616W if he will also express these sums in 1977 prices.
§ Mr. ArmstrongRent rebates and allowances first became mandatory under the Housing Finance Act 1972. The figures for England are:
£m £m Outturn Prices 1977 Survey Prices 1972–73 … 70 142 1973–74 … 181 337 1974–75 … 219 346 1975–76 … 258 330 1976–77 (Provisional) … 341 385