§ 24. Mrs. RoeTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is the typical size of family receiving child benefit; and what that family will receive per week from October.
§ Mr. John BrowneTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is the typical size of a family receiving child benefit; and what they will receive per week from October 1991.
§ Mr. JackOver 40 per cent. of families in receipt of child benefit have only one child and from October will be receiving £9.25 per week—an increase of £2, or over 27 per cent., this year. This gives a family an additional annual income of £480.
§ Mr. McLeishTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what were the total numbers of young people whose parents were receiving extended child benefit in each of the months from January to May for each of the years 1990 and 1991.
§ Mr. JackChild benefit normally stops after a child reaches 16 and leaves full-time education. It can however be extended for a limited period for 16 and 17-year-olds while they are looking for work or on a youth training place.
The child benefit computer counts, on a weekly basis, the number of awards current for children covered by extended child benefit. The following figures represent the weekly average in each month: 434W
Number 1990 January 1,033 February 1,659 March 1,874 May 2,620 1991 January 1,184 February 1,826 March 2,208 April 3,257 May 4,302 For the majority of 16 to 17-year-old school leavers, extended child benefit is not applicable because they start work or find a youth training place before the extension period begins. This is demonstrated by the following figures which show the total numbers of 16 and 17-year-old school leavers for the periods covered by the question:
Number Christmas 1989 8,418 Christmas 1990 8,073 Easter 1990 52,156 Easter 1991 45,036 Note: No figure is shown for April 1990 because the extension period for Christmas leavers finished on I April and the period for Easter leavers did not start until 30 April.