HC Deb 14 December 1988 vol 143 cc595-6W
Mr. Cousins

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many cases in each standard region are(a) aged 16 to 17 years but receiving income support whilst in relevant education, (b) aged 16 to 17 years who are entitled to income support under schedule 1 of the income support regulations, (c) aged 16 to 17 years who have been entitled to income support for short periods and (d) aged 16 to 17 years for whom he has used his discretionary power to grant income support to avoid severe hardship.

Mr. Peter Lloyd

The information requested concerning 16 and 17-year-olds receiving income support whilst in relevant education is not available.

The estimated number of 16 and 17-year-olds entitled to income support without time restriction (schedule 1 of the Income Support (General) Regulations) at September 1988 is as follows:

Number
England 15,000
Scotland 2,000
Wales 2,000
Great Britain 19,000

Notes:

  1. (1) Based on a sample of 1 in 50 cases in receipt of Supplementary Allowance on a day in May 1987.
  2. (2) Figures rounded to the nearest thousand.
  3. (3) Information is not available according to "standard regions" and in view of the small number of sample cases involved any further breakdown would be subject to wide sampling error and would therefore be of doubtful validity.

The number of awards of income support made to 16 and 17-year-olds for limited periods (schedule 1A of the Income Support (General) Regulations) in September and October 1988 was:

Region Number of awards
London (North) 27
London (South) 32
Midlands 42
North Eastern 55
North Western 60
Wales and South West 38
Scotland 34
Great Britain 288

Notes:

  1. (1) Based on 100 per cent. count of awards made up to 31 October 1988.
  2. (2) Information is not available according to "standard regions".
  3. (3) Information relates to the number of awards rather than to the individual number of young people involved. Some may have had more than one award.

The number of directions given under the Secretary of State's discretionary power to avoid "severe hardship" to 16 and 17-year-olds during the 13 weeks ended 9 December 1988 is as follows:

Region Number of applications Number successful Number unsuccessful
London (North) 174 124 50
London (South) 131 91 40
Midlands 222 167 55
North Eastern 366 243 123
North Western 293 193 100
Wales and South West 185 122 63
Scotland 518 329 189
Great Britain 1,889 1,269 620

Notes:

  1. (1) Based on 100 per cent. count of applications received.
  2. (2) Information is not available according to "standard regions".
  3. (3) Information relates to the number of applications rather than to the number of individual young people involved. Some may have made more than one application.