§ Mr. BayleyTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many people were in receipt of family credit in(a) York, (b) North Yorkshire and (c) Yorkshire and Humberside in 1988 and in each year since then. [40238]
§ Mr. Roger EvansThe administration of family credit is a matter for Peter Mathison, the chief executive of the Benefits Agency. He will write to the hon. Member.
Letter from Peter Mathison to Mr. Hugh Bayley, dated 15 October 1996:
The Secretary of State for Social Security has asked me to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question asking how many people were in receipt of Family Credit (FC) in York, North Yorkshire and Yorkshire and Humberside in 1988 and each year since then.The information is not available in the format requested. This is because the FC computer system holds records of the total number of claims received, awarded and disallowed on a national basis. Details are not broken down into individual towns or areas.However, statistics are available which indicate the number of families in receipt of FC within a Benefits Agency (BA) office area at a particular date. The information is only available from 1993 onwards as details relating to FC claims are normally destroyed after 18 months. The details available for each BA office in the Yorkshire and Humberside area, and the date of each scan, are shown in the attached Annex.I hope that you find this reply useful. If you would like any further information regarding the Family Credit scheme please write to Miss J Geering, Customer Service Manager, Family Credit unit, Government Buildings, Cop Lane, Penwortham, Preston, PR1 OSA.
BA office 28 May 1993 15 April 1994 13 April 1995 12 April 1996 York 1,869 2,174 2,459 2,793 (North Yorkshire) Harrogate 965 1,049 1,197 1,391 Northallerton 858 1,005 1,085 1,289 Scarborough 1,252 1,417 1,618 1,794 Skipton 302 371 413 565 Total 3,377 3,842 4,313 5,039 (Yorkshire and Humherside) Bamsley (East) 1,178 1,362 1,464 1,289 Barnsley (West) 678 890 1,147 1,710 Bradford (East) 1,818 2,143 2,472 2,736 Bradford (South) 1,755 2,169 2,357 2,643 Bradford (West) 1,853 2,093 2,289 2,494 Castleford 658 830 969 891 Dewsbury 2,484 2,889 3,220 3,468 Doncaster (East) 1,229 1,366 1,483 1,709 Doncaster (West) 1,378 1,727 2,078 2,597 Goole 517 598 624 739 Grimsby 2,528 3,007 3,400 3,829 Halifax 2,408 2,690 2,931 3,160 Hemsworth 297 488 606 779 Huddersfield 2,015 2,331 2,620 2,969 Keighley 1,542 1,712 1,906 1,971 Leeds (East) 1,902 2,239 2,352 2,617 Leeds (North-west) 1,445 1,661 1,812 1,951 Leeds (North) 1,628 1,752 1,962 2,101 Leeds (South) 1,160 1,289 1,451 1,558 Leeds (West) 1,611 1,822 1,865 2,070 Rotherham (North) 647 703 742 619 Rotherham (South) 1,603 2,046 2,408 2,759 Scunthorpe 1,258 1,441 1,714 1,865 Sheffield (North-east) 1,354 1,593 1,731 2,135 Sheffield (North-west) 1,431 1,509 1,756 1,978 Sheffield (South-east) 993 1,117 1,266 1,505 Sheffield (South-west) 900 1,043 1,178 1,401 Wakefield 1,465 1,681 1,844 1,983 Wath On Dearne 515 684 921 1,119 Total 40,250 46,875 52,586 58,645 Figures are provisional and subject to change.1012W
§ Ms HarmanTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what proportion of lone-parent families received family credit in each of the last 10 years. [41025]
§ Mr. BurtThe information is set out in the table.
Number of Family Credit Lone Parents Year Number of cases Percentage of lone parent population 1986 83,000 9 1987 92,000 9 1988 74,000 7 1989 114,000 10 1990 122,000 10 1991 132,000 10 1992 160,000 11 1993 208,000 14 1994 236,000 15 1995 268,000 16 Notes:
1. Family Income Supplement data for 1986 and 1987 are as at April, Family Credit data from 1988 onwards are based on May.
2. Numbers have been rounded to the nearest thousand.
Sources:
Family Credit Statistics Quarterly Enquiry May 1996.
Social Security Statistics 1986–1987.
Lone Parent population data are based on DSS Estimates from General Household Survey.
§ Mr. HardyTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what was the cost of family credit in 1994–95; and how many people were in receipt of this benefit. [40143]
§ Mr. EvansExpenditure on family credit in 1994–95 was £1,441 million. In March 1995, there were 602,000 families in receipt of the benefit.
Sources:
1. 1996 Departmental Report.
2. Family Credit 5 per cent. sample of awards at 31 March 1995.
Note:
Caseload figures are rounded to the nearest thousand.
§ Mr. HardyTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what estimate he has made of the effect of the introduction of the jobseeker's allowance in regard to the cost of family credit. [40144]
§ Mr. EvansIn the long term, the introduction of the jobseeker's allowance is estimated to increase the cost of the family credit by up to £10 million. This figure does not include behavioural effects.
Source:
Family Credit Expenditure Survey data.
§ Mr. HardyTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what changes have taken place in the number of recipients of family credit in each area of Yorkshire; and how those figures compare with the position one year earlier. [40147]
§ Mr. EvansThe administration of family credit is a matter for Peter Mathison, the chief executive of the Benefits Agency. He will write to the hon. Member.
Letter from Peter Mathison to Mr. Peter Hardy, dated 16 October 1996:
The Secretary of State for Social Security has asked me to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question asking what changes have taken place in the number of recipients of Family Credit (FC) in each area of Yorkshire; and how those figures compare with the position one year earlier.1013WThe information is not available in the format requested. This is because the FC computer system holds records of the total number of claims received, awarded and disallowed on a national basis. Details are not broken down into individual towns or areas.However, statistics are available which indicate the number of families in receipt of FC within a Benefits Agency (BA) office are at a particular date. The details available for each BA office in the Yorkshire area, and the date of each scan, are shown in the attached Annex.I hope that you find the information useful. If you would like any further information regarding the Family Credit scheme please write to Miss J Geering, Customer Service Manager, Family Credit Unit, Government Buildings, Cop Lane, Penwortham, Preston, PR1 0SA.
Scan Date: Benefit office 13 April 1995 12 April 1996 +/- Barnsley (East) 1,464 1,289 -175 Barnsley (West 1,147 1,710 +563 Bradford (East) 2,472 2,736 +264 Bradford (South) 2,375 2,643 +268 Bradford (West) 2,289 2,494 +205 Castleford 969 891 -78 Dewsbury 3,220 3,468 +248 Doncaster (East) 1,483 1,709 +226 Doncaster (West) 2,078 2,597 +519 Goole 624 739 +115 Grimsby 3,400 3,829 +429 Halifax 2,931 3,160 +229 Harrogate 1,197 1,391 +194 Hemsworth 606 779 +173 Hudders field 2,620 2,969 +349 Keighley 1,906 1,971 +65 Leeds (East) 2,352 2,617 +265 Leeds (North-west) 1,812 1,951 +139 Leeds (North) 1,962 2,101 +139 Leeds (South) 1,451 1,558 +107 Leeds (West) 1,865 2,070 +205 Northallerton 1,085 1,289 +204 Rotherham (North) 742 619 -123 Rotherham (South) 2,408 2,759 +351 Scarborough 1,618 1,794 +176 Scunthorpe 1,714 1,865 +151 Sheffield (North-east) 1,731 2,135 +404 Sheffield (North-west) 1,756 1,978 +222 Sheffield (South-east) 1,266 1,505 +239 Sheffield (South-west) 1,178 1,401 +223 Skipton 413 565 +152 Wakefield 1,844 1,983 +139 Wath on Dearne 921 1,119 198 York 2,459 2,793 +334 Total 59,358 66,477 +7,119 Figures are provisional and subject to amendment.
§ Mr. HardyTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what proportion of the population is in receipt of family credit in each region of the United Kingdom. [40146]
§ Mr. EvansThe available information is set out in the table.
This Department is responsible for social security in Great Britain and can therefore provide information only for England, Scotland and Wales.
I would therefore refer the hon. Member to my right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland for figures for Northern Ireland.
1014W
Family credit cases and beneficiaries by social security administrative region Region Number of cases Number of beneficiaries Beneficiaries as a percentage of population North Eastern 122,000 433,000 — London North 81,000 298,000 — London South 71,000 260,000 — South Western 54,000 196,000 — Midlands 121,000 440,000 — North Western 106,000 374,000 — England 553,000 2,000,000 4.1 Scotland 73,000 237,000 4.6 Wales 40,000 142,000 4.9 Great Britain/total 666,000 2,379,000 4.2 Sources:
1. Family Credit 5 per cent. sample of awards at 29 February 1996.
2. Office of Population, Censuses and Surveys.
Notes:
1. All figures have been rounded to the nearest thousand.
2. "Beneficiaries" include the Family Credit claimant, a partner if present, and any children or dependents included in the Family Credit assessment.
3. The population figures used for comparison are the mid-year estimates for 1994 which are the latest available. Resident populations for Social Security.
4. Administrative Regions are not available.