§ Mr. CorbynTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will list(a) the number of Housing Benefit claimants, (b) the average amount paid, (c) the administrative cost of each claim and (d) the average number of cases not processed in Islington in each of the last five years. [144520]
§ Angela Eagle[holding answer 9 January 2001]: The information is not available in the format requested. Such information as is available is in the tables. Information is not collected centrally on the number of cases not processed.
93W
Average Housing Benefit caseload and benefit paid by the London Borough of Islington Year Housing Benefit caseload Average Weekly amount of Housing Benefit (£) 1995–96 33,930 55.40 1996–97 33,030 56.80 1997–98 33,130 57.80 1998–99 32,580 58.90 1999–2000 28,350 58.90 Source:
Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit Management Information System Quarterly 100 per cent. caseload stock-count taken from May 1995 to August 2000.
Housing Benefit administrative costs in by the London Borough of Islington Year Reported annual expenditure Housing Benefit adiministration (£) Housing Benefit caseload Average cost per case(£) 1995–96 2,733 33,930 81 1996–97 2,470 33,030 75 1997–98 3,814 33,130 115 1998–99 1,586 32,580 49 Notes:
1. The data refer to households, which may be a single person, a couple or a family.
2. The caseload for each year has been calculated by averaging the four quarters in the financial year.
3. Caseload figures have been rounded to the nearest 10 cases and the average weekly amounts have been rounded to the nearest 10 pence.
4. The figures for administrative costs are the cost per case using the authority's total expenditure on administration costs, as reported by the authority to the Department of Environment, Transport and the Regions, and the total Housing Benefit caseload.
5. The figure for annual expenditure in 1998–99 replaces the previously reported figure.