HC Deb 01 February 1999 vol 324 c418W
Mr. Alan Simpson

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will calculate the current proportion of the total population in receipt of one or more of the main income-related benefits. [68091]

Angela Eagle

As at May 1997, there were 7,990,000 recipients of one or more of the main income-related benefits in Great Britain. This represents 13.9 per cent. of the total population.

Notes:

  1. 1. Income-related benefits are Income Support, Income-based Jobseeker's Allowance, Family Credit, Disability Working Allowance, Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit.
  2. 2. Overlaps between benefits have been taken out.
  3. 3. Caseload figure has been rounded to the nearest ten thousand.
  4. 4. Numbers are based on benefit units, which may be a single person or a couple.
  5. 5. Housing Benefit/Council Tax Benefit figures include estimates due to the data collection procedure in Scotland.
  6. 6. Population is based on all residents in Great Britain at Mid-1997.

Source:

  1. 1. Income Support Quarterly Statistical Enquiry, May 1997—5 per cent. sample.
  2. 2. Jobseeker's Allowance Quarterly Statistical Enquiry, May 1997—5 per cent. sample.
  3. 3. Family Credit Quarterly Statistical Enquiry, May 1997—5 per cent sample.
  4. 4. Disability Working Allowance 100 per cent. scan of awards.
  5. 5. Housing Benefit Management Information System, annual 1 per cent. sample of claimants without Income Support/JSA (IB), May 1997.
  6. 6. Population Estimates unit, ONS.