§ Keith VazTo ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people received Housing Benefit in the last year for which figures are available; and what percentage of British households claimed Housing Benefit. [103935]
§ Malcolm WicksThe available information is in the table.
British households receiving Housing Benefit in 2002 Number of Housing Benefit recipients 3,806,000 Housing Benefit recipients as a proportion of all British households (percentage) 51.8 Notes:
1. The data refer to households claiming Housing Benefit which may be a single person, a couple or a family. More than one benefit household can live in one property, for example two or more adults in a flat or house share arrangement.
2. Figures includes estimates for local authorities that have not responded. This estimate is based on historical and regional data. These types of estimates are standard practice in reporting totals where there have been non-respondents.
3. The figures exclude any Extended Payment cases.
4. Caseload figures have been rounded to the nearest thousand, and percentages rounded to one decimal place.
5. Information on the number or proportion of British households who claimed Housing Benefit during 2002 is not available.
Sources:
1. Average of Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit Management Information System Quarterly 100 per cent. caseload counts taken in February, May, August and November 2002.
2. Office of the Deputy Prime Minister household estimates mid 2001.