Benefits

HC Deb 11 April 1983 vol 40 cc348-51W

Mr. Higgins

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what he estimates is the present level of take-up of child benefits compared with the number of families entitled to them; what publicity has been given to these benefits recently; and to what extent a family becoming aware of child benefit entitlement for the first time is permitted to claim it for previous weeks.

Mr. Newton

The take-up of child benefit is virtually 100 per cent. and special publicity measures are not therefore necessary. Various measures have been used to publicise one parent benefit and the level of take-up has improved of late from 60 per cent. to about 70 per cent. of those who stand to gain. The time limit for claiming these benefits is 12 months.

Mr. David Young

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many unemployed have been in receipt of social security benefit in each of the last five

Unemployed people receiving benefit, analysed by sex and region/area, in numbers and as percentages of the total number of employees in the respective areas
(a) Great Britain
	Benefit recipients (1)
	Numbers (thousands) (1)	Percentage of total employees (2)
	Male	Female	Total	Male	Female	Total
1978(1)
Great Britain	735	272	1,008	5.2	2.9	4.3
South East	155	51	206	3.5	1.6	2.7
East Anglia	18	6	24	4.1	2.2	3.3
South West	52	19	71	5.3	2.9	4.3
West Midlands	67	26	93	4.7	2.9	4.0
East Midlands	39	13	52	4.0	2.1	3.2
Yorks and Humberside	68	25	93	5.3	3.0	4.4
North West	118	41	159	7.0	3.5	5.6
North	69	27	95	8.2	5.1	7.0
Wales	50	20	70	7.5	4.7	6.4
Scotland	100	44	144	7.6	4.7	6.4
1979(1)
Great Britain	670	269	938	4.8	2.8	4.0
South East	133	46	179	3.0	1.5	2.4
East Anglia	15	6	21	3.6	2.0	2.9
South West	45	18	63	4.6	2.6	3.8
West Midlands	66	27	93	4.7	3.0	4.0
East Midlands	37	13	50	3.8	2.0	3.1
Yorks and Humberside	62	26	88	4.9	3.1	4.2
North West	108	41	149	6.5	3.5	5.2
North	66	27	93	8.0	5.0	6.8
Wales	42	19	62	6.4	4.4	5.6
Scotland	96	45	140	7.3	4.8	6.2
1980(1)
Great Britain	1,165	439	1,604	8.4	4.6	6.8
South East	237	81	318	5.4	2.6	4.2
East Anglia	29	10	39	6.7	3.4	5.4
South West	71	28	99	7.3	4.1	5.9
West Midlands	131	50	181	9.4	5.5	7.9
East Midlands	73	25	98	7.5	3.9	6.1
Yorks and Humberside	119	44	162	9.4	5.2	7.8
North West	183	69	252	11.1	5.9	8.9
North	102	38	140	12.5	7.2	10.4
Wales	77	30	107	11.8	7.0	9.9
Scotland	144	63	207	11.0	6.7	9.2
1981(1)
Great Britain	1,706	568	2,274	12.4	6.1	9.9
South East	376	120	496	8.6	3.9	6.6
East Anglia	45	14	59	10.4	5.2	8.4
South West	104	39	143	10.7	5.7	8.6
West Midlands	208	65	273	15.2	7.3	12.1
East Midlands	103	32	135	10.7	5.1	8.5
Yorks and Humberside	171	55	226	13.8	6.8	11.1
North West	258	86	344	15.9	7.6	12.5
North	135	45	180	16.9	8.7	13.7
Wales	102	34	137	15.9	8.4	13.0
Scotland	204	78	282	15.9	8.5	12.8
1982(1)
Great Britain	1,779	625	2,403	13.2	6.8	10.6
South East	405	144	549	9.4	4.7	7.5
East Anglia	45	16	61	10.8	5.6	8.7
South West	104	42	146	10.9	6.1	8.9

years; if he will publish a breakdown by sex and by region; if he will give figures for Bolton; and if he will express these figures as a percentage of the employed population in each case.

Mr. Rossi

[pursuant to his reply, 14 March [983, c. 56]: The following table shows how many unemployed people were receiving unemployment benefit or supplementary allowances or both at a date each year, in numbers and as percentages of the relevant estimates of total employees in mid-year.

	Benefit recipients (1)
	Numbers (thousands) (1)	Percentage of total employees (2)
	Male	Female	Total	Male	Female	Total
West Midlands	217	71	288	16.2	8.1	13.0
East Midlands	106	37	142	11.2	5.8	9.0
Yorks and Humberside	176	62	238	14.4	7.7	11.8
North West	272	91	363	17.0	8.2	13.4
North	141	47	189	17.9	9.3	14.5
Wales	105	36	142	16.8	8.9	13.7
Scotland	206	80	286	16.2	8.8	13.1
(b) Bolton area
	Benefit recipients (3)
	Numbers (3)	Percentage of total employees (4)
	Male	Female	Total	Male	Female	Total
1978(3)	3,500	1,100	4,600	5.5	2.4	4.2
1979(3)	3,400	1,300	4,700	5.4	2.8	4.3
1980(3)	6,700	2,700	9,300	10.6	5.7	8.5
1981(3)	10,300	3,300	13,600	16.4	7.0	12.4
1982(3)	10,600	3,500	14,000	16.8	7.3	12.7

Notes:

(1) Figures taken from a 100 per cent. count at a date in November each year except 1981. Figures for 1981 are not available because of industrial action and the numbers given for that year are those for February 1982, as the next available; the percentages are calculated on the 1981 estimates of total employees.

(2) Percentages based on Department of Employment estimates of the total numbers of employees at mid-year, for Great Britain and by standard region. "Employees" comprises employees in employment and unemployed claimants.

(3) Figures relating to the Bolton and Farnworth unemployment benefit offices and the associated offices at Horwich and Westhoughton, from the counts indicated in note (1).

(4) All percentages based on the Department of Employment estimate of the total number of employees in the Bolton travel-to-work area at mid-1978. No estimates are available of total employees by travel-to-work areas at later dates.