Benefits (Hansard, 13 May 1987)

§ Mr. Gordon Brown
asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will provide his latest available figure for the numbers of people claiming social security benefits for each Department of Health and Social Security office in Scotland.

§ Mr. Lyell
I shall let the hon. Member have a reply as soon as possible.

§ Mr. Gordon Brown
asked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) if he will publish details of the changes in total statutory sick pay and sickness benefit expenditure on short-term sickness in each year from 1983–84 to 1986–87 that resulted from the introduction of statutory sick pay and the April 1986 changes showing, as far as possible (a) expenditure changes that resulted from the replacement of sickness benefit rates with a different structure of statutory sick pay rates, (b) expenditure changes that resulted from administrative changes, 231W (c) estimated revenue from statutory sick pay tax and national insurance liability and (d) the expenditure effects of other changes;
(2) if he will publish details of total expenditure on short-term sickness in each year from 1979–80 to 1986–87 showing, as far as possible (a) a breakdown of expenditure between sickness benefit and statutory sick pay, (b) a breakdown between administrative costs and actual payments of the two types of support, (c) the average weekly payment made under the two types of provision and (d) supplementary benefit and related housing benefit expenditure on the short-term sick;
(3) if he will publish details of claims for statutory sick pay and expenditure on statutory sick pay for each year

Expenditure on Short-term Sickness

1979–80 1980–81 1981–82 1982–83 1983–84 1984–85 1985–86 1986–87

Sickness benefit expenditure (£m) 660 650 680 550 270 280 280 160

Statutory sick pay expenditure (£m)¹ — — — — 440 520 560 680

Expenditure on supplementary benefit and housing benefit to the short-term sick (£m)² 20 40 40 60 80 100 110 100

Total expenditure (£m) 680 690 720 610 790 900 950 940

Average weekly payment of sickness benefit (£) 25.62 28.81 29.28 26.88 29.87 29.70 33.06 31.67

Standard rate weekly payment of SSP (£)³ — — — — 40.25 42.25 44.35 46.75

Number of SSP payments⁴ — — — — 5M 5.7M 5.9M —

Overpayments of SSP⁵ — — — — — 400,000 450,000 430,000

Underpayments of SSP (£)⁵ — — — — — 190,000 200,000 160,000

¹The expenditure figures are for benefit only. The 1986–87 figures are estimates.

²Estimated.

³Information is not available of the average weekly payment of SSP, but it is estimated that about 85 per cent, are paid at the standard rate. These are the amounts shown.

⁴These figures relate to the number of individual tax documents showing SSP as having been paid. They do not therefore take account of more than one spell of SSP by a person with the same employer in a tax year.

⁵Information about the extent of overpayments and underpayments of SSP was not collected prior to September 1984. The 1984–85 and 1986–87 figures relate to only three quarters.

Expenditure on Short-term Sickness
	1979–80	1980–81	1981–82	1982–83	1983–84	1984–85	1985–86	1986–87
Sickness benefit expenditure (£m)	660	650	680	550	270	280	280	160
Statutory sick pay expenditure (£m)¹	—	—	—	—	440	520	560	680
Expenditure on supplementary benefit and housing benefit to the short-term sick (£m)²	20	40	40	60	80	100	110	100
Total expenditure (£m)	680	690	720	610	790	900	950	940
Average weekly payment of sickness benefit (£)	25.62	28.81	29.28	26.88	29.87	29.70	33.06	31.67
Standard rate weekly payment of SSP (£)³	—	—	—	—	40.25	42.25	44.35	46.75
Number of SSP payments⁴	—	—	—	—	5M	5.7M	5.9M	—
Overpayments of SSP⁵	—	—	—	—	—	400,000	450,000	430,000
Underpayments of SSP (£)⁵	—	—	—	—	—	190,000	200,000	160,000
¹The expenditure figures are for benefit only. The 1986–87 figures are estimates.
²Estimated.
³Information is not available of the average weekly payment of SSP, but it is estimated that about 85 per cent, are paid at the standard rate. These are the amounts shown.
⁴These figures relate to the number of individual tax documents showing SSP as having been paid. They do not therefore take account of more than one spell of SSP by a person with the same employer in a tax year.
⁵Information about the extent of overpayments and underpayments of SSP was not collected prior to September 1984. The 1984–85 and 1986–87 figures relate to only three quarters.