HC Deb 26 October 1992 vol 212 cc489-90W
Mr. Wicks

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will publish the latest figures showing(a) the number of children living in families with an unemployed head and (b) the number of children living in families with a long-term unemployed head.

Mr. Burt

At the time of the May 1991 annual statistical inquiry, there were 638,000 children living in families headed by people registered as unemployed and claiming income support.

Figures for the number of children living in families with a long-term unemployed head are not available. The number of long-term cases of people registered as unemployed and claiming income support for themselves and for a child or children are given in the table.

May 1991 annual statistical inquiry
Registered unemployed income support claims involving children
Length of claim Number of cases
1–2 years 175,900
2–3 years 63,300
Over 3 years 162,500

Note:

(a) The number of children in families headed by people claiming Unemployment Benefit (UB) is not available as UB does not pay an addition for a child dependent.

(b) The figures given are for children up to the age of 15.