§ Mr. Dobsonasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what are the latest available figures for the
Two-parent families Great Britain Claimants (Thousands) Children (Thousands) Average weekly supp, benefit Average housing costs* £ £ £ All supplementary benefit 242 536 39.21 12.51 Pensioners 3 4 † 9.89 Unemployed 221 494 † 12.51 Sick and disabled 14 29 † 13.52 Others 4 10 † 10.43 The average amount of supplementary benefit is only available for the total number of two-parent families. * It is not possible to say what proportion of benefit in payment is for housing costs. The amounts shown are the average allowed in the assessment of benefit. † Not available. Source: Annual statistical inquiry December 1980.
§ Mr. Dobsonasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what are the latest available figures of the numbers of one-parent families in receipt of supplementary benefit; how many of these are divorced, separated, 30W number of (a) one-parent families and (b) two-parent families in receipt of family income supplement; in each case what are the average payments; and how many families receive the maximum payment allowed.
§ Mr. NewtonThe latest available figures relate to 29 December 1981, as follows:
Great Britain (a) (b) One-parent families Two-parent families Number of families receiving family income supplement 63,000 68,000 Average weekly payment £12.60 £11.00 Number of families receiving maximum weekly payments 12,000 9,000
§ Mr. Dobsonasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what are the latest available figures on the numbers of two-parent families in receipt of supplementary benefit; how many are unemployed, sick or disabled, or for some other reason on supplementary benefit; and, in each category, what is the total number of children involved, the average payment and how much of it is for housing costs.
§ Mr. NewtonThe latest information available relates to December 1980 and is given in the following table:
single, widowed or are prisoners' wives; and, in each category, what is the total number of children involved, the average payment and how much of it is for housing costs. 31W category, what is the total number of children involved, the average payment and how much of it is for housing costs.
One-parent families Great Britain Claimants (thousands) Children (thousands) Average weekly supplementary benefit Average housing costs £ £ All supplementary benefit 336 582 38.05 *11.76 Divorced 109 208 41.56 † Separated 106 206 38.75 † Single 109 149 34.43 † Widowed 7 10 26.87 † Prisoners' wives 4 9 42.69 † * It is not possible to say what proportion of supplementary benefit in payment is for housing costs but the average amount allowed in assessments of benefit is shown. † available. Source: annual statistical inquiry December 1980.
§ Mr. Dobsonasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what are the latest available figures for the number of (a) one-parent families headed by a woman, (b one-parent families headed by a man and (c) two-parent families who rely on (i) State benefits, (ii) earnings from employment, (iii) maintenance payments and (iv) other items, as their main source of income.
§ Mr. NewtonThe latest available figures are those given in the answer given by my hon. Friend the Member for Wallasey (Mrs. Chalker) to the hon. Member on 27 October 1980—[Vol. 991, c.171–72]. Figures for 1979 should be available in a few weeks' time.