§ Mrs. WiseTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what are the proposed family credit ceilings in 1995–96 for(a) a married couple with one child under five years, (b) a married couple with two children under 11 years, (c) a married couple with two children aged over 11 years, (d) a married couple with three children under 11 years, (e) a married couple with three children aged over 11 years and (f) a married couple with two children under 11 years and two children over 11 years.
§ Mr. Roger EvansAt the new benefit levels proposed for April 1995, the family credit ceilings represented by the highest amount of net earnings and other relevant 795W income a family can have and still qualify for family credit at the minimum payment of 50p will be as follows:
£ Married couple with one child under 5 years 153.00 Married couple with two children under 11 169.29 Married couple with two children over 11, but under 16 190.71 Married couple with three children under 11 185.57 Married couple with three children over 11, but under 16 217.71 Married couple with two children under 11 and two children over 11, but under 16
223.29 Relevant income excludes child benefit, which is disregarded for Family Credit purposes. Therefore, in addition to the amounts above, a one-child family will have £10.40 child benefit a two-child family £18.85, a three-child family £27.30 and a four-child family £35.75. Relevant income also excludes the first £15 of any maintenance received.
Since October 1994, up to £40 a week per family in respect of formal child care charges incurred can be offset in the calculation of normal earnings for family credit. It applies where the care is for a child under 11 in the family of a lone parent, a couple where both are working, or where one is working and the other is incapacitated. This increases the potential ceilings still further.
National social fund summary statistics by client group 1992–93 Pensioners MP FP CCG BL CL Applications received (000) 0 15 106 61 9 Decisions (000)1 0 18 129 67 8 Awards (000)1 0 15 79 27 7 Awards as per cent, of decisions1 0 83 61 40 82 Refusals (000) 0 3 50 34 1 Gross Expenditure £ million 0 12 20 6 0 Recoveries £ million 0 0 0 5 0 Net Expenditure £ million 0 12 20 0 0 Average Award £1 0 786 254 211 61
Unemployed MP FP CCG BL CL Applications received (000) 85 10 323 499 498 Decisions (000)1 91 11 371 554 480 Awards (000)1 82 10 66 298 402 Awards as per cent, of decisions1 90 91 18 54 84 Refusals (000) 9 1 305 238 76 Gross Expenditure £ million 8 8 14 61 23 Recoveries £ million 0 0 0 52 18 Net Expenditure £ million 8 8 14 9 5 Average Award £1 101 805 214 205 57
1992–93 Disabled MP FP CCG BL CL Applications received (000) 6 3 113 111 27 Decisions (000)1 6 3 141 125 27 Awards (000)1 5 3 65 68 22