Single Payments (Hansard, 4 July 1985)

§ Mr. Meacher
asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many single payments were awarded by appeal tribunals in 1981, 1982, 1983 and 1984, respectively; and what was the average payment.

§ Mr. Whitney
The number of appeals relating to claims for single payments is as follows:

Great Britain

Year Number of appeals heard Number of successful appeals

1981 21,453 4,879

1982 26,269 5,723

1983 29,691 7,036

^*†1984 8,706 2,068

^* 1 January 1984 to 31 March 1984.

† As a result of recent industrial action within the Department annual statistics for 1984 are not yet available.

Information regarding the average amount of single payments awarded by appeal tribunals is not available.

§ Mr. Meacher
asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what was the average length of time taken to dispose of appeals for single payments in 1981, 1982, 1983 and 1984, respectively.

§ Mr. Whitney
Separate information on appeals for single payments is not available. The average length of time from lodgement of an appeal to initial hearing for all supplementary benefit appeals heard in Great Britain is as follows:

Weeks

1981 6.8

1982 8.5

1983 9.4

^*1984 10.5

^* As a result of recent industrial action within the Department this figure is only for the first quarter.

§ Mr. Meacher
asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what was the cost of administering appeals relating to single payments taking one week and each additional week to the maximum time taken to settle appeals in 1981, 1982, 1983 and 1984, respectively.

§ Mr. Whitney
This information is not available. A costing exercise last year estimated that £10.855 million was spent on supplementary benefit appeals work in 1983; this sum includes the cost of work on the 82,212 appeals lodged but resolved without a tribunal hearing, as well as the 60,567 appeals actually heard.

§ Mr. Meacher
asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many single payments were made for maternity needs and for a new baby's needs in each year from 1981 to 1984; what is the average level of payment; and what is the average combined level of payment to each claimant.

§ Mr. Whitney
The information requested on the maternity needs of new born or recently adopted children is:248W

^*No. of single payments (to nearest thousand) Average level of payment

1981 61,000 £43.35

1982 101,000 £53.61

1983 142,000 £59.91

^* Figures are from the Annual Statistical Enquiry and relate to single payments made during the 12 months preceding the date of the enquiry to persons still in receipt of supplementary benefit at the time of the enquiry, and do not, therefore, record all the single payments made during the year.

Payments to the mother to meet her own maternity needs for clothing and footwear are made under regulation 27 of the Supplementary Benefits (Single Payment) Regulations. That regulation also covers payments for clothing and footwear made for other reasons and no separate figures are available for the mothers' own maternity needs.

Great Britain
Year	Number of appeals heard	Number of successful appeals
1981	21,453	4,879
1982	26,269	5,723
1983	29,691	7,036
^*†1984	8,706	2,068
^* 1 January 1984 to 31 March 1984.
† As a result of recent industrial action within the Department annual statistics for 1984 are not yet available.

	Weeks
1981	6.8
1982	8.5
1983	9.4
^*1984	10.5
^* As a result of recent industrial action within the Department this figure is only for the first quarter.

	^*No. of single payments (to nearest thousand)	Average level of payment
1981	61,000	£43.35
1982	101,000	£53.61
1983	142,000	£59.91
^* Figures are from the Annual Statistical Enquiry and relate to single payments made during the 12 months preceding the date of the enquiry to persons still in receipt of supplementary benefit at the time of the enquiry, and do not, therefore, record all the single payments made during the year.