HC Deb 04 April 1995 vol 257 cc1072-4W
Mr. Byers

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, taking into account all available benefits, what would be the weekly income of(a) a single person, (b) a married person with a non-earning partner and (c) a married person with a non-earning partner and two children aged under 16 who was paid £3.50 an hour working (i) eight hours a week, (ii) 16 hours a week and (iii) 24 hours a week. [18082]

Mr. Roger Evans

The information is set out in the table. Entitlement to unemployment benefit has been assumed where this would be advantageous to the family type concerned. Earnings have also been assumed to be

Weekly income for various family types at different hours of work
Hours of work Gross earnings £ Tax and national insurance contributions £ Take home pay £ Unemployment benefit £ Income support £ Family credit £
Single person—aged 25 or over
8 28.00 0.00 28.00 37.88 0.00 0.00
16 56.00 0.00 56.00 30.30 0.00 0.00
24 84.00 7.39 76.61 0.00 0.00 0.00
Married couple—non-earning partner
8 28.00 0.00 28.00 61.25 0.00 0.00
16 56.00 0.00 56.00 49.00 0.00 0.00
24 84.00 3.84 80.16 0.00 0.00 0.00
Married couple—non-earning partner with two children aged 4 and 6 years
8 28.00 0.00 28.00 61.25 10.35 0.00
16 56.00 0.00 56.00 0.00 0.00 66.70
24 84.00 3.84 80.16 0.00 0.00 60.78

Weekly income for various family types at different hours of work
Child benefit £ Rent £ Housing benefit £ Council tax £ Council tax benefit £ Total net income £ Net income after rent and council tax £
Single person—aged 25 or over
0.00 30.91 21.04 6.60 3.56 90.49 52.98
0.00 30.91 7.77 6.00 0.00 94.07 56.56
0.00 30.91 14.07 6.60 1.42 92.10 54.59
Married couple—non-earning partner
0.00 30.91 26.00 8.60 7.09 122.34 82.83
0.00 30.91 15.77 8.60 3.94 124.71 85.20
0.00 30.91 30.91 8.60 8.60 119.67 80.16
Married couple—non-earning partner with two children aged 4 and 6 years
18.45 36.42 36.42 11.00 11.00 165.47 118.05
18.45 36.42 24.65 11.00 7.38 173.18 125.76
18.45 36.42 12.80 11.00 3.73 175.92 128.50

Notes:

  1. 1. Earnings for eight hours assumed to represent one day's employment. Earnings for 16 hours assumed to represent two day's employment.
  2. 2. All the examples shown assume take-up of full entitlement to the income-related and contributory benefits that would be most advantageous.
  3. 3. All the family types shown are assumed to live in local authority accommodation and be liable for average council tax and local authority rent.
  4. 4. Earnings are assumed to be £3.50 an hour.

for a period that would allow for the highest benefit income. Eight hours' work has been assumed to represent one day's employment and 16 hours' work has been assumed to represent two day's employment.

To improve incentives to increase hours of work, two new measures will be introduced from October 1996. The back-to-work bonus will allow those who work part time while claiming jobseeker's allowance to build up a lump sum of up to £1,000. This will be payable when either the claimant or partner stops receiving jobseeker's allowance to go into work of 16 hours or more. In addition, a new in-work benefit aimed at couples and single people without children will be tested to examine its effects on increasing the gain from work, in the same way as family credit does now for families with children.