HC Deb 19 July 2002 vol 389 cc598-9W
Mr. Willetts

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people receive benefits by(a) automated credit transfer and (b) other methods, broken down in each case into recipients of each of the main benefits. [68485]

Malcolm Wicks

Statistical information, by benefit, is collected quarterly on the number of customers currently receiving benefit by ACT and other methods.

The table below is based on information available at March 2002 and shows the number of people that receive their benefits by ACT and other methods of payment, broken down into each of the main benefits.

For ease of reference, the figures have been rounded to the nearest 5,000 and the numbers paid by other methods are mainly by order book and girocheques with a small number of payable orders.

Benefit Customers Number Paid by ACT Number Paid by Other Methods
Attendance Allowance 430,000 280,000 150,000
Child Benefit 7,005,000 3,145,000 3,860,000
Disability Living Allowance 1,925,000 795,000 1,130,000
Incapacity Benefit 1,465,000 485,000 980,000
Income Support 3,950,000 695,000 3,255,000
Invalid Care Allowance 400,000 75,000 325,000
Jobseeker's Allowance 800,000 208,000 590,000
Retirement Pension, Widows Benefit & Bereavement Benefit 10,250,000 5.175,000 5,075,000
Veterans Agency (War Pension) 270,000 155,000 115,000

Mr. Willetts

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many, and what proportion of, benefit claimants have had bank accounts that are compatible with automated credit transfer in each year since 1997. [68484]

Malcolm Wicks

The table below sets out the number and percentage of benefit customers with access to ACT compatible bank accounts. These are estimated figures, taken from the annual Family Resources Survey. Figures for 2001–02 are not yet available.

Year Customers with ACT Number Compatible Accounts Percentage
1997–98 17,830,000 83
1998–99 17,920,000 84
1999–2000 17,830,000 84
2000–01 17,590,000 83