§ Mrs. Beckettasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what was the total supplementary benefit budget for 1982–83, including publicity, administration and adjudication costs.
§ Mr. WhitneyThe total cost of supplementary benefit in 1982–83 including publicity, administration and adjudication, was £6,856 million.
§ Mr. Heddleasked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he has any plans to amend the supplementary benefit regulations in respect of the £500 capital restriction.
§ Mr. NewtonWe have no plans at present to do so, although the supplementary benefit capital limits and policy on single payments are currently being considered as part of the review of the supplementary benefit scheme.
§ Mr. Heddleasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will list (a) the total cost of the payment of supplementary benefit to meet mortgage interest charges and (b) the number of claimants for each year to the latest available date since 1974.
§ Mr. NewtonInformation is not available in the precise form requested. The estimated amount of money added in the assessment for mortgage interest and ground rent, together with the number of claimants for each year from 1974 to 1982 is given below:
Year Claimants Amount added in Assessment £ million 1974 84,000 11 1975 98,000 20 1976 123,000 27 1977 124,000 33 1978 105,000 26 1979 98,000 31 1980 134,000 71 1981 196,000 124 1982 235,000 170 Source: Annual Statistical Enquiries.
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§ Mr. Heddleasked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he has any plans to increase the savings ceiling above £3,000 in respect of the payment of supplementary benefit to meet the cost of mortgage interest charges.
§ Mr. NewtonWe have no plans to increase the supplementary benefit capital cut-off limit of £3,000 which applies to all claimants for supplementary benefit and not just to those who pay mortgage interest. The treatment of capital, however, is currently being considered as part of the review of the supplementary benefit scheme.
§ Mrs. Beckettasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what was (a) the total amount of supplementary benefit paid to claimants in the year 1982–83, (b) the average administrative cost of each supplementary benefit claim in the year 1982–83 and (c) the median (standard) administrative cost of each supplementary benefit claim in the year 1982–83.
§ Mr. WhitneyThe information is as follows:
- (a) the total cost of supplementary benefit payments in 1982–83 was £6,263 million.
- (b) the average cost per beneficiary of administering the supplementary benefit system, including the costs of assessment and of payment, amounted to £142 in 1982–83.
- (c) a figure for the median administrative cost is not available.