HL Deb 16 January 1979 vol 397 cc946-8WA
Lord SANDYS

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether they will bring up to date the Parliamentary Answer showing the number of people drawing means-tested benefits (Official Report, 14th February 1978, WA Cols. 1409–1412) by giving the comparable figures for 1977.

Lord WELLS-PESTELL

Pursuant to my reply [Official Report 14th December 1978, Vol. 397, c. 842] following is the information:

NUMBER OF PEOPLE RECEIVING VARIOUS MEANS-TESTED BENEFITS 1973–77 IN GREAT BRITAIN
Thousands
1973 1974 1975 1976 1977
Supplementary Benefit (1)
No. of claimants 2,675 2,680 2,793 2,940 2,991
No. of wives 549 538 564 614 611
No. of children 798 874 1,078 1,172 1,156
All claimants and dependants 4,022 4,092 4,434 4,725 4,759
Rent rebates and allowances(2)
No. of rebates 1,930 2,087 2,160 2,382 2,423
No. of allowances 235 333 400 616 614
Rate rebates(3)
No. of rebates 1,110 2,630 2,930 3,020 3,090
Free school meals(4)
No. of children receiving free school meals
in England and Wales 795 750 784 839 997
in Scotland 137 130 122 117 118
in Great Britain 932 880 906 956 1,115
Family income supplement (5)
No. of claimants 95 70 60 77 89
No. of wives 50 32 28 42 51
No. of children 221 161 135 176 205
All claimants and dependants 366 261 223 295 345

NOTES:

(1) Supplementary Benefit: source—supplementary benefit annual enquiry, November 1973 and 1974, and December 1975, 1976 and 1977.

(2) Rent rebates and allowances: source—Department of the Environment, relating to October of each year. The figures include supplementary benefit recipients who received direct rebates and allowances up to 31 March 1974 and indirect rebates and allowances since that date. Estimates of family composition are not available.

(3) Rate rebate: source—Department of the Environment, relating to March of each year. The estimates are for the number of households receiving a rates rebate and include those few who may be receiving supplementary benefit for a short-term transitional period. Estimates of family composition are not available.

(4) Free school meals: source—Department of Education and Science census at October of each year in respect of England and Wales; Scottish Education Department census at January of each year in respect of Scotland. The figures are for number of children receiving free school meals at the stated dates; estimates of family composition are not available.

(5) Family income supplement: source—10 per cent. statistical sample at December of each year.

(6) All figures relate to Great Britain except where explicitly stated to the contrary and are rounded to the nearest thousand. Because of rounding component figures may not sum to the total.

House adjourned at twenty-six minutes past six o'clock.