§ Mr. BattleTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what would be the overall cost of(a) increasing the rate of income support for all single people under 25 years to the same rate as those over 25 years and (b) extending entitlement to full income support to all those under 18 years in receipt of bridging allowance, special hardship allowance and those registered as waiting for a YTS place with no other income; and if he will express these figures as a percentage of the total social security budget.
§ Mrs. Gillian ShephardThe overall estimate cost of(a) increasing the rate of income support (and aligned income-related benefits) for all single people under 25 years is £205 million, or 0.4 per cent. of the total social 729W security budget, and (b) extending entitlement and giving the full income support personal allowance to all under 18 years in receipt of bridging allowance and "severe hardship" allowance is £12.5 million, or 0.025 per cent. of the total social security budget.
Information about those registered as waiting for a YTS place is not available.