§ Mr. ClayTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what proportion of single payments went to(a) pensioners, (b) two-parent families with children and (c) one-parent families with children in 1985–86 and in 1987; and if he will estimate what proportion of single payments will go to these categories of claimants in 1987–88.
§ Mr. PortilloThe following information is available from a 100 per cent. count of single payment awards :
Awards to pensioners (000s) Total awards (000s) Awards as percentage of total 1985–86 510 4,375 12 1986–87 680 4,230 16 April to September 1987 130 1,060 12 SourceManagement Information System.
Further information is available from the February 1986 annual statistical inquiry as follows:
Thousands Pensioners Number of awards 410 Awards as percentage of total 14 Lone parents Number of awards 1,000 Awards as percentage of total 33 Total awards 3,040 Note: ASI data record the number of single payments made during the 12 months preceding the date of the inquiry to persons in receipt of supplementary benefit at the time of the inquiry. As a result they do not record all the single payments made during the year.
A special survey of single payments activity in a sample of offices in October 1986 showed that of 2,041 cases in which payment was awarded 291 (14 per cent.) involved pensioners, 493 (24 per cent.) single parents, 532 (26 per cent.) couples with children. In addition three involved pensioners with children.