§ Earl Russellasked Her Majesty's Government:
How many single parents stopped claiming benefit in (a) 1988–89 (b) 1989–90 (c) 1991–92 (d) 1992–93 (e) 1993–94 (f) 1994–95.
§ Lord Mackay of ArdbrecknishThe information is not available in the format requested. Such information as is available is in the table. Figures relate to the total number of lone parents, who may be single, divorced/separated or widowed.
Lone Parents Ceasing to Receive Income Support/Family Credit/One Parent Benefit Financial Year Family Credit One Parent Benefit Income Support 1988–89 39,000 126,000 — 1989–90 87,000 141,000 — 1990–91 91,000 115,000 — 1991–92 90,000 124,000 — 1992–93 92,000 130,000 — 1993–94 124,000 128,000 281,000 1994–95 132,000 133,000 283,000 Source: Income Support Statistics Quarterly Enquiries, 1993–1995. Family Credit 5 per cent. sample of awards. Quarterly Child Benefit and One Parent Benefit Statistics, 1988–1995. Notes: 1. All figures have been rounded to the nearest thousand. 2. Figures relate to claimants ceasing to receive benefit in the period shown. It is possible for the same person to appear more than once if they make repeated claims for benefit. 3. Figures for Income Support are not available prior to 1993–94. Prior to 1993 information was collected on an annual 'point in time' basis and did not include details of terminations of awards over the relevant year. Figures for 1993–94 and 1994–95 are derived from `point in time' figures taken at quarterly enquiries through the year. It is possible for some claimants to be omitted if they started and ceased to receive Income Support entirely in the interval between two quarterly enquiries. 4. Family Credit figures include all awards made during this period. However, figures for 1988–89 may slightly underestimate (by 1 per cent. at most) the true total, as not all cases were recorded on the computer system at that time. 5. Figures for Widowed Mother's Allowance, Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit are not available. Statistical information on these benefits is collected on annual 'point in time' bases which do not include details of terminations of awards over the relevant year.