§ Mr. AllenTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is his estimate of the additional annual cost to the Exchequer of providing income support for 16 and 17-year-olds at the same rates as(a) 18 to 24-year-olds and (b) people aged 25 years and over.
§ Mr. JackBased on caseload information for 1990, the best available estimate of the cost of increasing the rate of income support for 16 and l7-year-olds who satisfy current entitlement conditions is around an annual £50 million if the rate paid to 16 to 17-year-olds is increased to that paid to 18 to 24-year-olds, and around £170 million if the rate is increased to the full adult rate. Increasing the 287W rate paid to 16 to 17-year-olds to the full adult rate would require that the rate paid to 18 to 24-year-olds be increased to the same figure, at an additional estimated cost of £280 million; or a total cost of £450 million.