§ Mr. Andrew SmithTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what is his estimate of the average amount of housing benefit claimed by students(a) outside London who claim more than £310 per academic year and (b) in London who claim more than £340 per academic year.
Mr. JacksonGovernment records of students' housing benefit claims are not collected centrally in the detail requested. However, I understand that Department of Social Security management information returns for May 1988 show that the average benefit receipt among all those students who were claiming housing benefit at that time was £7.80 per week, or just under £300 for those students who claim over the whole academic year.
In addition, Research Services Limited collected information about students' social security claims when conducting its 1988–89 survey of student income and expenditure. A copy of the survey report is in the Library.
§ Mr. Andrew SmithTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what is his estimate of the number of students outside London who claim more than £310 per academic year in housing benefit; and who in London claim more than £340 per academic year in housing benefit.
Mr. JacksonGovernment records of students' housing benefit claims are not collected centrally in the detail182W requested. However, I understand that Department of Social Security management information returns for May 1988 show that there was a total of 78,000 students claiming housing benefit at that time.
In addition, Research Services Limited collected information about students' social security claims when conducting its 1988–89 survey of student income and expenditure. A copy of the survey report is in the Library.