§ 20. Sir Fergus MontgomeryTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will make a statement on the provision of child benefit. [1717]
§ Mr. Andrew MitchellWe have a manifesto commitment to pay child benefit to all families in respect of all children, and we have honoured that pledge. We believe that all families with dependent children should receive some help from either the tax or the benefit system, a principle recognised throughout Europe.
§ Mr. Bernard JenkinTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security in respect of how many children new claims for child benefit were made in each of the past 15 years; how many child benefit claims were disallowed in each of the past 15 years; and what was the estimated take-up of child benefit in each of the past 15 years. [3390]
§ Mr. MitchellThe information is not available in the format requested. Such information as is available is in the table.
Child benefit take-up rates 1981–1994 1Take-up rate for children aged 1–15 2Take-up rate for children under age 1 1981 99.7 97.9 1982 99.6 97.5 1983 99.7 97.0 1984 99.7 98.3 1985 99.7 97.0 1986 99.5 97.8 1987 99.5 97.8 1988 99.3 96.6 1989 99.1 96.9 1990 98.9 97.5 1991 98.8 96.9 1992 98.9 96.1 1993 98.8 97.3 1994 98.7 95.1 1Rates calculated from population data, Office for National Statistics. 2Figures for children under age I reflect an average delay in claiming of six weeks and is not therefore inconsistent with the 1–15 take-up rate. 195W
New claims for child benefit (CHB) 1980 to 1995 Thousands Total of new claims for CHB in each year 1980 1,093 1981 968 1982 1,020 1983 1,009 1985 1,003 1986 1,022 1987 1,033 1988 1,041 1989 997 1990 1,062 1991 1,063 1992 1,025
New claims for child benefit (CHB) 1980 to 1995 Thousands Total of new claims for CHB in each year 1993 1,000 1994 992 1995 981
- 1. Data are not available for 1984 due to industrial action in that year.
- 2. The figures include claims made on the birth of a child, claims from families entering Great Britain and repeat claims following a period of disentitlement.