Benefit Claimants (Hansard, 2 February 1978)

§ Mrs. Chalker
asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will update the information on benefit and claimants

SUPPLEMENTARY BENEFIT INCLUDING RENT ADDITION AS A PERCENTAGE OF GROSS AVERAGE EARNINGS^*

Short term Long term

Year (October)† Single person Married couple Married couple plus two children Married couple plus four children Single person Married couple Married couple plus two children Married couple plus four children

Per cent. Per cent. Per cent. Per cent. Per cent. Per cent. Per cent. Per cent.

1964 24.8 37.8 47.8 59.7 — — — —

1965 27.3 41.6 52.3 65.8 — — — —

1966 29.7 44.9 56.2 70.2 31.9 47.1 58.4 72.3

1967 28.9 43.7 54.7 67.7 31.0 45.8 56.7 69.7

1968 28.4 42.9 52.9 64.2 30.6 45.0 55.0 66.2

1969 28.6 43.3 54.1 64.5 30.6 45.3 56.1 66.3

1970 27.8 42.1 52.1 64.6 29.6 43.9 53.9 66.2

1971 26.9 40.5 50.3 63.4 28.5 42.1 51.9 64.9

1972 25.9 39.0 48.6 62.0 27.6 40.7 50.3 63.6

1973 26.1 37.0 47.2 58.5 28.6 40.0 50.1 61.3

1974 23.9 35.9 47.1 59.1 28.0 41.4 52.6 64.3

1975 26.3 39.7 50.0 62.8 31.0 46.1 56.3 68.7

1976 27.5 41.4 51.5 65.2 31.9 47.6 57.6 71.1

1977‡ 27.5 41.7 51.2 66.0 32.1 48.2 57.6 72.0

^* Average gross weekly earnings of male, adult full-time manual workers employed in manufacturing and certain other non-manufacturing industries as published by the Department of Employment, plus family allowance or child benefit.

† Benefit rates used for 1966, 1969, 1970, 1975, 1976 and 1977 are those for November.

‡ Provisional estimates.

§ Mr. Peter Bottomley
asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will list in the Official Report(a) the
252W
given in reply to two Questions by the hon. Member for Wallasey, Official Report, 1st December 1975, c. 449.

§ Mr. Orme
The total numbers of recipients of supplementary benefit who were referred for medical examination by the Department's Regional Medical Service in recent years were as follows: 1975, 6,035; 1976, 4,741; 1977, 3,707. As regards claims to benefit by strikers, information on which to base an estimate of the cost of ignoring income tax refunds is not available.

SUPPLEMENTARY BENEFIT INCLUDING RENT ADDITION AS A PERCENTAGE OF GROSS AVERAGE EARNINGS^*
	Short term	Long term
Year (October)†	Single person	Married couple	Married couple plus two children	Married couple plus four children	Single person	Married couple	Married couple plus two children	Married couple plus four children
	Per cent.	Per cent.	Per cent.	Per cent.	Per cent.	Per cent.	Per cent.	Per cent.
1964	24.8	37.8	47.8	59.7	—	—	—	—
1965	27.3	41.6	52.3	65.8	—	—	—	—
1966	29.7	44.9	56.2	70.2	31.9	47.1	58.4	72.3
1967	28.9	43.7	54.7	67.7	31.0	45.8	56.7	69.7
1968	28.4	42.9	52.9	64.2	30.6	45.0	55.0	66.2
1969	28.6	43.3	54.1	64.5	30.6	45.3	56.1	66.3
1970	27.8	42.1	52.1	64.6	29.6	43.9	53.9	66.2
1971	26.9	40.5	50.3	63.4	28.5	42.1	51.9	64.9
1972	25.9	39.0	48.6	62.0	27.6	40.7	50.3	63.6
1973	26.1	37.0	47.2	58.5	28.6	40.0	50.1	61.3
1974	23.9	35.9	47.1	59.1	28.0	41.4	52.6	64.3
1975	26.3	39.7	50.0	62.8	31.0	46.1	56.3	68.7
1976	27.5	41.4	51.5	65.2	31.9	47.6	57.6	71.1
1977‡	27.5	41.7	51.2	66.0	32.1	48.2	57.6	72.0
^* Average gross weekly earnings of male, adult full-time manual workers employed in manufacturing and certain other non-manufacturing industries as published by the Department of Employment, plus family allowance or child benefit.
† Benefit rates used for 1966, 1969, 1970, 1975, 1976 and 1977 are those for November.
‡ Provisional estimates.