§ Mr. Ralph HowellTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will state the number of persons receiving rate rebate in(a) 1979 and (b) 1989 and the number of total persons who will either be (i) exempt from or (ii) paying less than the full community charge for their district.
§ Mrs. Gillian ShephardI have been asked to reply. The information requested concerning rate rebates is shown in the table as follows:
Estimated numbers receiving rate rebates—Great Britain Million 1979–80 3.065 1989–90 5.5 Notes:
1. Before 1982–83 assistance with rates was through the supplementary benefit scheme run by the Department and the rate rebate scheme run by the Department of the Environment. Assistance with housing costs was harmonised into a single scheme when housing benefit was introduced for some supplementary benefit claimants from November 1982. Full implementation for all claimants followed from April 1983. The information for 1979–80 represents the numbers receiving rate rebates through the rate rebate scheme only; the number receiving assistance through supplementary benefit is not available.
2. The figure for 1989–90 includes community charge rebates in Scotland, which, in the case of couples, are counted as one rebate.
Latest estimates are that 620,000 people in Great Britain will be exempt from the community charge and that between a quarter and a third of those liable for the full charge will receive community charge benefit.