HC Deb 14 April 1993 vol 222 cc658-9W
Mr. Soley

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what would be the average loss of benefit per claimant if maintenance could no longer be offset against income from 1 April.

Mr. Burt

The information is not readily available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

Mr. Soley

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many claims are currently made for housing and community charge benefit where maintenance payments are offset against income for benefit calculation.

Mr. Burt

In May 1991, there were an estimated 3,000 housing benefit cases and 4,000 community charge benefit cases.

Note: Figures apply to Great Britain and were derived from a small number of sample cases supplied by local authorities for the housing benefit and community charge benefit information system annual 1 per cent. sample of cases without income support.

Some cases received both housing benefit and community charge benefit.