§ Mr. Chris SmithTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many and what proportion of family credit claimants receive the £10 increase for full-time work. [8516]
§ Mr. Roger EvansAs at 31 August 1995, 87,000 new and renewal family credit awards included the new £10 premium. Awards already in payment when the premium came into effect on 17 July 1995 will become eligible on renewal of the 26 week award. Most existing family credit recipients working 30 hours or more should therefore by now be receiving the increase. In the longer term, we estimate that 345,000 families will benefit.
Source: Family credit 5 per cent. sample of awards.
§ Mr. SmithTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what estimate he has made of the effect of revenues in(a) 1996–97, (b) 1997–98 of the freeze in the maintenance disregard for family credit claims; how many claimants will be affected by the freeze; and if he will make a statement. [8515]
§ Mr. EvansNo estimate is made of savings to public funds when a disregard on income is not increased. The income disregards are kept under review and are increased only when it is prudent to do so.
§ Mr. SteinbergTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many families are currently in receipt of family credit and what has been the cost of this benefit in each year since 1989–90. [9264]
§ Mr. EvansThe latest available information is that 605,800 families were receiving family credit on 30 April 1995. The cost of family credit in each year from 1989–90 is set out in the table:
Year Family credit outturn £ million 1989–90 425 1990–91 494 1991–92 626 1992–93 929 1993–94 1,208 1994–95 1,441 Source:
Family Credit Statistics Quarterly Enquiry April 1995. 1995 Departmental Report.