§ Mr. Meacherasked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) what will be the housing benefit paid to (a) a single person aged under 18 years, (b) a single person aged under 25 years, (c) a single person aged 25 to 59 years, (d) a couple without children where rates and rent are (i) 25 per cent., below average, (ii) average and (iii) 25 per cent., above average and gross weekly income is
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Table 1 Amounts of weekly housing benefit under current scheme Weekly Income Level Gross Earnings Unemployment Benefit £45 £55 £65 £75 £85 £95 £110 £125 At which housing benefit no longer payable Single person 16–17 years —average rent and rates 17.09 18.00 14.70 11.40 7.20 3.00 0 0 0 91.85 —75 per cent. average rent and rates 14.07 14.25 11.85 8.55 4.35 0 0 0 0 84.71 (1) at the level of unemployment benefit, (2) earnings of £45, (3) £55, (4) £65, (5) £75, (6) £85, (7) £95, (8) £110 and (9) £125 a week under current provisions and under the assumptions set out in the technical annex to Cmnd. 9691; and in each case at what level of income the entitlement to housing benefit would disappear.
§ Mr. Newton[pursuant to his reply, 5 March 1986, c. 157–58]: The information is given in the following tables.
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Weekly Income Level Gross Earnings Unemployment Benefit £45 £55 £65 £75 £85 £95 £110 £125 At which housing benefit no longer payable —125 per cent. average rent and rates 19.44 20.85 17.55 14.25 10.95 5.85 1.65 0 0 98.99 Single person 18–24 years —average rent and rates 17.09 18.00 14.70 11.40 7.20 3.00 0 0 0 91.85 —75 per cent. average rent and rates 14.07 14.25 11.85 8.55 4.35 0 0 0 0 84.71 —125 per cent. average rent and rates 19.44 20.85 17.55 14.25 10.95 5.85 1.65 0 0 98.99 Single person 25–59 years —average rent and rates 17.09 18.00 14.70 11.40 7.20 3.00 0 0 0 91.85 —75 per cent. average rent and rates 14.07 14.25 11.85 8.55 4.35 0 0 0 0 84.71 —125 per cent. average rent and rates 19.44 20.85 17.55 14.25 10.95 5.85 1.65 0 0 98.99 Couple under 60 years —average rent and rates 18.32 19.00 19.00 18.72 15.53 12.23 8.26 1.76 0 114.35 —75 per cent. average rent and rates 14.25 14.25 14.25 14.25 12.68 9.38 5.41 0 0 107.21 —125 per cent. average rent and rates 21.17 23.75 23.75 21.68 18.38 15.08 11.11 4.81 0 121.49
Table 2 Amounts of weekly housing benefit under proposed scheme Weekly Income Level Gross Earnings Unemployment Benefit £45 £55 £65 £75 £85 £95 £110 £125 At which housing benefit no longer payable Single person 16–17 years —average rent and rates 8.16 2.54 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 50.26 —75 per cent. average rent and rates 3.67 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 41.68 —125 per cent. average rent and rates 12.65 7.44 2.75 0 0 0 0 0 0 60.98 Single person 18–24 years —average rent and rates 12.80 7.59 2.78 0 0 0 0 0 0 61.03 —75 per cent. average rent and rates 8.31 3.10 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 50.32 —125 per cent. average rent and rates 17.29 12.08 7.76 2.45 0 0 0 0 0 70.17 Single person 25–59 years —average rent and rates 17.96 12.87 8.55 3.51 0 0 0 0 0 71.52 —75 per cent. average rent and rates 13.47 8.38 4.06 0 0 0 0 0 0 62.39 —125 per cent. average rent and rates 22.45 17.36 13.04 8.00 2.96 0 0 0 0 80.65 Couple under 60 years —average rent and rates 16.96 17.96 17.96 16.00 10.61 5.56 1.87 0 0 85.50 —75 per cent. average rent and rates 12.47 13.47 13.47 11.51 6.12 1.06 0 0 0 98.77 —125 per cent. average rent and rates 21.45 22.45 22.45 20.49 15.10 10.06 6.54 0 0 108.19 Notes to tables
1. The average weekly rent and domestic rates levels have been assumed to be £13.80 and £5.20 respectively.
2. The current minimum rent rebate and rate rebate levels of 50 pence have been used throughout.
3. The level at which housing benefit is not payable had been calculated for an earning single person/couple.
4. In the case of an earning couple it has been assumed that only one partner is in work.
5. The current income tax allowances, national insurance rates and unemployment benefit rates have been used throughout.
6. Other assumptions are based on the illustrative figures used in the technical annex to Cmnd. 9691, with a 20 per cent. contribution towards rates.
§ Mr. Meacherasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is his estimate of the number of (a) single people aged under 18 years, (b) single people aged 18 years to 24 years, (c) single people aged 25 years to 59 years and (d) couples where the claimant is aged under 25 years who currently receive some housing benefit; and approximately how many in each category will lose all 454W their housing benefit under the proposals in the Social Security Bill, on the assumptions in the technical annex to Cmnd. 9691.
§ Mr. Newton[pursuant to his reply, 5 March 1986, c. 157–58]: Using the illustrative assumptions in the technical annex to the White Paper (Cmnd. 9691) the information requested is as follows:
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Housing benefit: caseload and numbers affected by proposals Thousands, Great Britain Estimated number of recipients affected with no residual entitlement Estimated number of recipients under present scheme with 20 per cent. rates contribution without 20 rates contribution Single aged under 18 years * * * Single aged 18 to 24 years 210 20 10 Single aged 25 to 59 years 640 90 60 Couples, head aged under 25 years 30 10 10 Notes:
(1) Present scheme estimates have been made on a similar basis to that outlined in paragraphs 2.6 to 2.10 of the technical annex. The caseloads shown here are consistent with the caseloads underlying the technical annex tables.
(2) The estimates are not adjusted for differential take-up.
(3) The estimates exclude single parents and couples with children.
(4) * Indicates estimates of less than 5,000.