HC Deb 19 June 1995 vol 262 c86W
21. Mr. Etherington

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many people are presently in receipt of means-tested benefits; and what was the comparable figure 10 years ago. [27621]

Mr. Roger Evans

The latest available information indicates that an estimated 8.53 million people were in receipt of an income-related benefit in May 1993, after taking into account those receiving more than one benefit. The earliest directly comparable data is for May 1989, which indicates that an estimated 6.65 million people were in receipt of an income-related benefit.