§ Mr. HealdTo ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many staff were employed in each of the last four years for which figures are available by(a) his Department and its predecessor and (b) local authorities in connection with the administration of (i) housing and (ii) council tax benefit. [94006]
§ Malcolm WicksThe overall strategy of our wide-ranging package of reforms for housing benefit (HB) announced on 17 October 2002, is to improve administration, promote choice and responsibility, enhance work incentives and reduce levels of fraud and error in the system. We provide help, guidance and support to local authorities to assist them in achieving these goals.
The number of people currently employed by the Department identified as working exclusively on various aspects of housing benefit and/or council tax benefit (CTB) is 340. These figures are liable to fluctuation throughout the year as particular aspects of work expand and contract. In addition there are a number of officials whose cross cutting responsibilities include these benefits to a greater or lesser extent. Figures for earlier years are not available.
Local authorities have responsibility for the day to day administration of HB and CTB. The number of full-time staff or full-time equivalents employed by local authorities in Great Britain to administer HB and CTB in the last four years for which figures are available is in the table.
Annual average number of full-time staff or full-time equivalents employed on HB/CTB administration 1998–99 16,000 1999–2000 16,000 2000–01 17,000 2001–02 17,000 Notes
1. Figures have been rounded to the nearest thousand.
2. Figures for any non-responding authorities have been estimated.
3. Separate figures are not available for HB and CTB.
Source:
Housing Benefit Management Information System Quarterly Administration Returns April 1998 to March 2002