§ Mrs. Renée Shortasked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many claims have been submitted by retirement pensioners to his Department for housing benefit in each year since 1979.
§ Mr. Whitney[pursuant to his reply, 23 July 1985]: The information is not available in the precise form requested. It is estimated that the average number of pensioner households receiving housing benefit, or help with housing costs through the former schemes, is as follows:
Number of pensioner households receiving help with housing costs Great Britain thousands Year Help with rent and rates through supplementary benefit Rent rebate Rent allowance Rate Rebate 1979 1,630 800 170 2,190 1980 1,570 850 210 2,300
974W
Table A NHS hospitals in England Average daily number of available beds per thousand population Region* 1974 1975 1976 1977 1978 1979 1980 1981 1982 1983 Northern 8.8 8.7 8.6 8.3 8.2 8.1 8.1 8.0 7.9 8.0 Yorkshire 8.9 8.8 8.7 8.6 8.5 8.3 8.1 8.0 7.9 7.7
Year Help with rent and rates through supplementary benefit Rent rebate Rent allowance Rate Rebate 1981 1,640 880 200 2,430 1982 1,690 860 200 2,490 1983 — 1,970 520 3,910 Notes:
1. Housing benefit was introduced for some in November 1982 and for all from april 1983. Before this, help with rent and rates was provided through the supplementary benefit scheme or the former rent rebate and allowance and rate rebate schemes.
2. The figures for 1682 exclude the effect of the partial start of housing benefit.
3. Claims for housing benefit are made to local authorities.