§ Mr. Robin Cookasked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many people claimed supplementary benefit in Livingston constituency in (a) 1979 and (b) 1985; what percentage change that represents; and what wars the percentage change in (a) staff handling supplementary benefit and (b) all staff at the local office of his Department for the same period.
§ Mr. MajorLivingston is covered by two of the Department's offices, Edinburgh, West and Bathgate, but their boundaries are not conterminous with the boundary of the constituency.
197WInformation on the number of individuals who claimed supplementary benefit is not available in the form requested.
Information that is available for the offices is as follows:
Edinburgh, West Bathgate Number of new and repeat claims to supplementary benefits (including unsuccessful) 1979–80 12,579 13,571 1985–86 14,701 17,501 Percentage change +16.9 +29.0 Number of people receiving supplementary benefit* 1979–80 5,563 6,520 1985–86 9,849 14,487 Percentage change in complement +77.0 +122.2 Supplementary benefit staff +44.4 +100.0 All staff +8.0 +25.1 * Based on a 100 per cent. count of cases in action in February. Direct comparisons between numbers of staff and claims are misleading as workloads vary considerably by type and duration of claim and the action that has to be taken. All these factors vary over time as a result of legislative, policy and procedural changes. Examples of such changes are the introduction of Housing Benefit and postal claim forms.
§ Dr. Godmanasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what was the number of supplementary benefit recipients by each social security office nationally for the most recent date available.
§ Mr. MajorI am arranging for information about the number of people receiving supplementary benefit at 11 February 1986, the latest available figures for each social security office nationally, to be placed in the Library as soon as possible.
§ Dr. Godmanasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what was the number of single payments awarded and the total amount paid out by each social security office for the most recent 52-week period available.
§ Mr. NewtonInformation about the number of single payments awarded by each social security office, and the total amounts paid out, in the year ended 9 April 1985 is already in the Library. Later information for a 52-week period could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
Estimates of take-up of supplementary benefit for 1981 Total likely to be entitled at any one time (000's) Proportion receiving benefit at that time (per cent.) Number eligible but not receiving benefit (000's) Estimated benefit unclaimed (£ million per annum) Average weekly amount unclaimed £ i. Pensioners 2,480 67 810 210 5.0 ii. Non-Pensioners* total 2,350 75 580 550 18.10 iii. Sick and Disabled 290 67 100 70 14.30 iv. Unemployed One-parent families not included in (iii) and 1,580 75 400 410 19.60 v. (iv) 400 88 50 40 15.30 Total for all groups 4,820 71 1,390 760 10.50 * This total is slightly greater than the sum of lines (iii), (iv) and (v) because it includes a small residual group of miscellaneous cases. Notes:
198W
§ Dr. Godmanasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what was the latest figure available for the number of dependants of supplementary benefit recipients by claimant category (a) nationally, (b) for Scotland (c) for Strathclyde and (d) for Greenock and Port Glasgow.
§ Mr. MajorThe table shows the latest available provisional estimates of the number of dependants of supplementary benefit recipients by claimant category nationally and for Scotland. These figures relate to the position in December 1984.
Partners Other depen-dants Total National Over pension age 262,000 9,000 271,000 Unemployed 580,000 1,049,000 1,629,000 Others 244,000 975,000 1,219,000 Scotland Over pension age 21,000 * 21,000 Unemployed 56,000 104,000 160,000 Others 25,000 98,000 123,000 * Less than 500. Source: December 1984 Annual Statistical Enquiry.
Similar information for Strathclyde and Greenock and Port Glasgow is not available.
§ Dr. Godmanasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what was the expected publication date of the supplementary benefit "Annual Statistical Enquiry" for 1984.
§ Mr. MajorThe results from the December 1984 annual statistical inquiry into supplementary benefit are expected to be available in September. The bound volume of tables will be deposited at that time in the Library and they will be made generally available on application to the Department's leaflets unit.
§ Dr. Godmanasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the latest available information on the take-up of supplementary benefit, broken down by category of claimants, amount unclaimed weekly by category of claimant and overall amount annually estimated to be unclaimed.
§ Mr. MajorThe most recently published information is for 1981 and is as follows:
199W1. Estimates of those with an unclaimed entitlement are based on DHSS analysis of income and other information recorded by respondents to the family expenditure survey (FES). The estimates of those in receipt are derived from the annual statistical inquiry of supplementary benefit claimants.
2. The estimates relate only to people living in private households: families and persons in institutions are not sampled in the FES.
3. Estimates are subject to statistical error; all figures are rounded to the nearest 10,000.
4. Calculation of entitlement to supplementary benefit is based on the appropriate scale rates—ordinary for allowances and long-term for pensioners— with no allowance for additional requirements, except where heating additions would be automatically provided on age grounds. Disregards of income are allowed under the normal rules.
5. FES participants are not asked about the amount of capital they have, only about income received from capital, and assumptions have to be made from this information about capital holdings.
6. No entitlement to supplementary benefit is assumed if the family would be financially better off claiming housing rebates.
(Information for 1983 will be published shortly.)
§ Mr. Hardyasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will take urgent action to ensure that supplementary benefit is paid without further delay to Mr. T. Williams of Rawsmarsh near Rotherham.
§ Mr. MajorA payment representing the full entitlement to benefit due was sent to Mr. T. Williams on 17 July 1986. I regret that it took so long to deal with this claim.
§ Mr. Michieasked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many people claimed supplementary benefit in Sheffield, Heeley constituency in (a) 1979 and (b) 1985; what percentage change that represents; and what was the percentage change in (a) staff handling supplementary benefit and (b) all staff at the local offices of his Department for the same period.
§ Mr. MajorSheffield, Heeley is covered by two of the Department's offices, Sheffield, south-east and Sheffield, south-west, but their boundaries are not conterminous with the boundary of the constituency.
Comprehensive figures are not available before 1982–83 and information on the number of individuals who claimed supplementary benefit is not available in the form requested.
Information that is available is as follows:
Sheffield South-East South-West Number of new and repeat claims to supplementary benefit (including unsuccessful) 1982–83 13,810 24,653 1985–86 13,529 23,916 Percentage change -2.0 -3.0 Number of people receiving supplementary benefit* 1982–83 12,782 14,147 1985–86 14,183 16,778 Percentage change +11.0 +18.6 Percentage change in complement 1982–83—1985–86: Supplementary benefit staff +22.0 +8.7 All staff +2.9 -4.7 * Based on a 100 per cent. count of cases in action at February. Direct comparisons between numbers of staff and claims are misleading as workloads vary considerably by type and duration of claim and the action that has to be taken. All these factors vary over time as a result of legislative, policy and procedural changes. Examples of such changes are the introduction of housing benefit and postal claim forms.
§ Mr. Winnickasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will state the total number of those of working age receiving supplementary benefit, and the percentage increase since May 1979.
§ Mr. MajorThe latest information available is as follows:
200W
000s May 1979 1,157 December 1985 2,960 Percentage increase 156 Source: Quaterly Statistical Inquiries.