Benefit Upratings (Hansard, 14 December 1994)

§ Mr. Flynn
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, pursuant to his oral statement of 30 November,Official Report, columns 205–8, what would be the value of all non-uprated benefits and allowances had they been uprated (a) by price increase and (b) by earnings since the dates they were (i) announced and (ii) first paid.

§ Mr. Hague
[holding answer Monday 5 December 1994]: The information is in the table.
677W

Column 1 Benefits/Allowances Column 2 Date introduction announced Column 3 Date introduced Column 4 Rate at announcement £ Column 5 Rate when introduced £ Column 6 Current rate £

Statutory Maternity Pay—lower rate April 1986 April 1987 31.60 32.85 52.50

Statutory Sick Pay— standard rate November 1981 April 1983 37.00 40.25 52.50

War Pensions— education allowance (see note 6) not applicable September 1939 not applicable 35.00 120.00

Widows Payment December 1985 April 1988 1,000.00 1,000.00 1,000.00

Column 1 Column 7 Column 8 Column 9 Column 10

Benefit/Allowance Value of rate at column 4 if uprated by earnings since date at column 2 £ Value of rate at column 4 if uprated by prices since date at column 2 £ Value of rate at column 5 if uprated by earnings since date at column 3 £ Value of rate at column 5 if uprated by prices since date at column 3 £

Christmas bonus 107.20 64.45 107.20 64.45

Income Support— amounts for meals where these cannot be purchased within the accommodation:

daily rates breakfast 1.95 1.60 1.65 1.55

midday/evening meal 2.55 2.30 2.45 2.15

Ilford Park Polish Home—personal expenses for:

claimant 19.65 1650 18.20 16.10

partner 19.65 16.50 18.20 16.10

dependant children aged 18 17.55 14.85 16.25 14.35

Maternity Allowance— higher rate 56.10 54.65 54.55 53.65

Retirement Pension—age 80 addition 3.55 1.60 3.55 1.60

Social Fund—Maternity Payment 141.10 114.35 145.10 125.50

Statutory Maternity Pay— lower rate 59.45 48.15 56.00 48.50

Statutory Sick Pay— standard rate 93.65 69.95 94.00 71.60

War Pensions—education allowance (see note 6) not applicable not applicable see note 5 899.05

Widows Payment 1,881.30 1,525.15 1,583.00 1,417.90

Notes:
1. Figures have been rounded to two decimal places.
2. In each step of the calculation the benefit has been rounded to the nearest 5p.
3. The Retail Prices Index (all items) and the Retail Prices Index (all items except housing ROSSI) as published by the Central Statistical Office have been used for prices uprating (ROSSI for income-related benefits).
4. Average Earnings Index (Whole Economy Unadjusted) as published by the Employment Department has been used to calculate the earnings uprating.
5. Average Earnings Index began in January 1963: it is not possible to provide earnings upratings in respect of periods commencing before that date.
6. Education allowance was inherited from the WW1 scheme (under which it was available on a discretionary basis) at the onset of WW2.
678W 679W

§ Mr. Harry Greenway
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will list the changes to his proposals, following his annual review of national insurance contributions, consequent upon the decision not to proceed with the second phase of value added tax on domestic fuel.

§ Mr. Lilley
[pursuant to his reply, 12 December, Official Report, column 541–542]: I regret that the rate of the Class 3 contribution shown in the table was incorrect.
The correct information is in the table.

Contribution rates and limits for 1995–96

CLASS 1

Lower Earnings Limit (LEL)¹ £58 a week

Upper Earnings Limit (UEL) £440 a week

Employee contributions²

Initial rate 2 per cent, (on earnings up to the LEL)

Main rate 10 per cent, (on earnings between the LEL and UEL)

Employer contributions²

Weekly earnings Contribution rate

£58–£ 104.99 3 per cent.

£105–£149.99 5 per cent.

£150–£204.99 7 per cent.

£205 and over 10.2 per cent.

CLASS 2

Self employed rate¹ £5.75 a week

Limit of net earnings for exception from Class 2 liability¹ £3,260 a year

CLASS 3

Voluntary contributions rate¹ £5.65 a week

Percentage discharged dead, by region, ordinary admissions, acute sector NHS Hospitals, England

1988–89 1989–90 1990–91 1991–92 1992–93

Northern 3.1 3.4 3.0 3.3 2.8

Yorkshire 2.4 2.3 2.2 2.5 2.2

Trent 3.3 3.6 3.7 3.5 3.1

East Anglian 2.6 2.8 2.7 3.2 2.6

North West Thames 3.0 3.0 3.0 2.9 2.5

North East Thames 3.6 3.8 3.7 3.3 3.5

South East Thames 2.7 3.0 3.1 3.0 2.8

South West Thames 3.0 3.1 3.1 2.8 2.8

Wessex 3.3 3.1 3.1 3.0 2.8

Oxford 3.0 3.2 2.9 2.9 2.8

South Western 3.2 3.0 2.8 3.0 2.8

West Midlands 2.8 2.9 3.8 3.5 2.9

Mersey 2.9 2.9 2.7 3.1 2.5

North Western 2.6 2.7 2.6 2.5 2.5

SHAs 2.2 2.1 2.2 1.9 1.8

Source:
Hospital Episode Statistics

Column 1 Benefits/Allowances	Column 2 Date introduction announced	Column 3 Date introduced	Column 4 Rate at announcement £	Column 5 Rate when introduced £	Column 6 Current rate £
Statutory Maternity Pay—lower rate	April 1986	April 1987	31.60	32.85	52.50
Statutory Sick Pay— standard rate	November 1981	April 1983	37.00	40.25	52.50
War Pensions— education allowance (see note 6)	not applicable	September 1939	not applicable	35.00	120.00
Widows Payment	December 1985	April 1988	1,000.00	1,000.00	1,000.00

Column 1	Column 7	Column 8	Column 9	Column 10
Benefit/Allowance	Value of rate at column 4 if uprated by earnings since date at column 2 £	Value of rate at column 4 if uprated by prices since date at column 2 £	Value of rate at column 5 if uprated by earnings since date at column 3 £	Value of rate at column 5 if uprated by prices since date at column 3 £
Christmas bonus	107.20	64.45	107.20	64.45
Income Support— amounts for meals where these cannot be purchased within the accommodation:
daily rates breakfast	1.95	1.60	1.65	1.55
midday/evening meal	2.55	2.30	2.45	2.15
Ilford Park Polish Home—personal expenses for:
claimant	19.65	1650	18.20	16.10
partner	19.65	16.50	18.20	16.10
dependant children aged 18	17.55	14.85	16.25	14.35
Maternity Allowance— higher rate	56.10	54.65	54.55	53.65
Retirement Pension—age 80 addition	3.55	1.60	3.55	1.60
Social Fund—Maternity Payment	141.10	114.35	145.10	125.50
Statutory Maternity Pay— lower rate	59.45	48.15	56.00	48.50
Statutory Sick Pay— standard rate	93.65	69.95	94.00	71.60
War Pensions—education allowance (see note 6)	not applicable	not applicable	see note 5	899.05
Widows Payment	1,881.30	1,525.15	1,583.00	1,417.90

Contribution rates and limits for 1995–96
CLASS 1
Lower Earnings Limit (LEL)¹	£58 a week
Upper Earnings Limit (UEL)	£440 a week
Employee contributions²
Initial rate	2 per cent, (on earnings up to the LEL)
Main rate	10 per cent, (on earnings between the LEL and UEL)
Employer contributions²
Weekly earnings	Contribution rate
£58–£ 104.99	3 per cent.
£105–£149.99	5 per cent.
£150–£204.99	7 per cent.
£205 and over	10.2 per cent.
CLASS 2
Self employed rate¹	£5.75 a week
Limit of net earnings for exception from Class 2 liability¹	£3,260 a year
CLASS 3
Voluntary contributions rate¹	£5.65 a week

Percentage discharged dead, by region, ordinary admissions, acute sector NHS Hospitals, England
	1988–89	1989–90	1990–91	1991–92	1992–93
Northern	3.1	3.4	3.0	3.3	2.8
Yorkshire	2.4	2.3	2.2	2.5	2.2
Trent	3.3	3.6	3.7	3.5	3.1
East Anglian	2.6	2.8	2.7	3.2	2.6
North West Thames	3.0	3.0	3.0	2.9	2.5
North East Thames	3.6	3.8	3.7	3.3	3.5
South East Thames	2.7	3.0	3.1	3.0	2.8
South West Thames	3.0	3.1	3.1	2.8	2.8
Wessex	3.3	3.1	3.1	3.0	2.8
Oxford	3.0	3.2	2.9	2.9	2.8
South Western	3.2	3.0	2.8	3.0	2.8
West Midlands	2.8	2.9	3.8	3.5	2.9
Mersey	2.9	2.9	2.7	3.1	2.5
North Western	2.6	2.7	2.6	2.5	2.5
SHAs	2.2	2.1	2.2	1.9	1.8