HC Deb 05 November 1998 vol 318 cc647-9W
Mr. O'Hara

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many pensioners claimed(a) income support, (b) housing benefit and (c) council tax benefit in the latest year for which figures are available (i) in total and (ii) by each region of the United Kingdom. [57899]

Mr. Denham

The information is in the table.

Number of pensioners (in thousands)in receipt of Income Support, Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit—May 1997
Region Income Support Housing Benefit Council Tax Benefit
North 107 131 176
Yorkshire and Humberside 155 197 279
East Midlands 120 121 185
East Anglia 56 73 104
London and South East 471 519 697
South West 133 122 193
West Midlands 178 186 288
North West 233 220 344
Wales 98 89 134
Scotland 169 230 296
Great Britain 1,720 1,887 2,696
Northern Ireland 75 50 n/a
United Kingdom 1,795 1,937 n/a

Notes:

  1. 1. Pensioners are defined, for Income Support/Housing Benefit/Council Tax Benefit purposes, as single persons aged 60 or over, or couples (married or unmarried) where one or both partners is aged 60 or over.
  2. 2. Figures are rounded to the nearest thousand, and may not sum due to rounding.
  3. 3. Council Tax Benefit/Housing Benefit data exclude second adult rebate cases.
  4. 4. There is an overlap in the figures, as most people receive both Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit.
  5. 5. Housing Benefit data for Northern Ireland are based on November 1997 data.
  6. 6. Council Tax Benefit does not exist in Northern Ireland.

Sources

  1. 1. Income Support Statistics Quarterly Enquiry, May 1997; 5 per cent. sample.
  2. 2. Housing Benefit Management Information System, annual 1 per cent. sample inquiries for recipients with and without Income Support taken at the end of May 1997.
  3. 3. (Northern Ireland) November 1997 database.

Mr. Swinney

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will list each change to the eligibility rules for each state benefit since May 1997, indicating for each change the number of people estimated to(a) have lost and (b) been denied benefit as a result, indicating their average financial loss. [56249]

Angela Eagle

The information is not available in the format requested. The following regulations and orders have affected eligibility to benefits since May 1997; effects include both restrictions and extensions to future benefit eligibility.The Social Security (Disability Living Allowance) Amendment Regulations 1997 SI No. 1997/349 Section 19 of the Social Security Administration (Fraud) Act 1997—(The Social Security Administration (Fraud) Act 1997 (Commencement No. 4) Order 1997) SI No. l997/2669(c.l00) The Social Security (Miscellaneous Amendments) (No. 3) Regulations 1997 SI No. 1997/1671 The Council Tax Benefit (General) Amendment Regulations 1997 SI No. 1997/1841 Income-related Benefits (Miscellaneous Amendments) Regulations 1997 SI No. 1997/2793 The Housing Benefit (General) Amendment (No. 2) Regulations 1997 SI No. 1997/1974 The Housing Benefit (General) Amendment (No. 3) Regulations 1997 SI No.1997/1975 The Income-related Benefits and Jobseeker's Allowance (Amendment) (No. 2) Regulations 1997 SI No. 1997/2197 The Social Fund Maternity and Funeral Expenses (General) Amendment Regulations 1997 SI No. 1997/2538 The Social Security Amendment (New Deal) Regulations 1997 SI No. 1997/2863 Social Security Amendment (New Deal) (No. 2) Regulations 1998 SI No. 1998/2117 Social Security (Miscellaneous Amendments) Regulations 1998 SI No. 1998/563 Social Security Amendment (Lone Parents) Regulations 1998 SI No. 1998/766 Child Benefit and Social Security (Fixing and Adjustment of Rates) (Amendment) Regulations 1998 SI No. 1998/1581 The Social Security (Welfare to Work) Regulations 1998 SI No. 1998/2231 The Social Security (Miscellaneous Amendments) (No. 3) Regulations 1998 SI No. 1998/1173 The Social Security Amendment (Capital) Regulations 1998 SI No. 1998/2250 The Council Tax Benefit (General) Amendment Regulations 1998 SI No. 1998/911 The Housing Benefit (General) Amendment Regulations 1998 SI No. 1998/1732 The Social Security (Miscellaneous Amendments) (No. 4) Regulations 1998 SI No. 1998/1174 The Social Security Amendment (Personal Allowances for Children) Regulations 1998 SI No. 1998/1541

At the point of change, no one on benefit will lose out as a result of changes to entitlement rules. Further information about the effects of these changes could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.