HC Deb 24 October 1995 vol 264 c637W
Mr. John Marshall

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many people received the single parent's premium in each since its inception; and what has been the cost of the premium in each of these years. [37159]

Mr. Roger Evans

The information available is set out in the table.

The lone parent premium forms part of the calculation of the total potential amount of benefit in income support, housing benefit and council tax benefit. It is not possible to apportion costs between the various allowances and premiums that make up the total potential benefit in those cases where the amount paid is less than the total.

Income support/housing benefit/council tax benefit cases with the lone parent premium
Year Number of income support cases Number of housing benefit/council tax benefit cases
1988 690,000
1989 760,000
1990 790,000 110,000
1991 870,000 110,000
1992 960,000 110,000
1993 1,010,000 120,000
1994 1,040,000 140,000

Notes:

1. Sample size 1 in 100.

2. Council tax benefit replaced community charge benefit from April 1993. Above figures include community charge benefit.

3. Figures have been rounded to the nearest 10,000.

4. Housing benefit/council tax benefit/community charge benefit figures include estimates due to the data collection procedure in Scotland.

5. The housing benefit/council tax benefit/community charge benefit analysis excludes recipients of housing benefit/council tax benefit with income support and the overlap between housing benefit/council tax benefit/community charge benefit.

6. Housing benefit/community charge benefit figures are not provided for 1988–89 as it is not possible to accurately estimate the overlap between housing benefit and community charge benefit, at that time community charge benefit applied only in Scotland.

Source:

Income Support Statistics Quarterly and Annual Enquiries 1988–1994.

Housing Benefit Management Information System, annual 1 per cent. sample inquiry without Income Support, taken at the end of May in each year shown.