Supplementary Benefit (Hansard, 29 November 1974)

§ Mr. George
asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if she will list in the OFFICIAL REPORT the value of national assistance/supplementary benefit payments for (a) a single person, (b) a married couple without children, (c) a married couple with two children and (d) a married couple with four children, as a percentage of average net earnings for each year since 1948.

§ Mr. O'Malley
I regret that it is not possible to provide this information for the years 1948 to 1953. The following table gives estimated percentages for each year from 1954 to 1973, the latest year for which figures are available.
287W

§ Mr. George
asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if she will list in the Official Report the average value of national assistance/supplementary benefit as a percentage of net average earnings for each year since 1948.

§ Mr. O'Malley
The information requested is contained in the following table:

SUPPLEMENTARY BENEFIT ORDINARY SCALE RATES (TO WHICH IN PRACTICE AN ALLOWANCE FOR RENT WOULD BE ADDED) AS A PERCENTAGE OF NET AVERAGE EARNINGS OF MALE MANUAL WORKERS IN OCTOBER

Year Single householder Married couple

1948 … … … 20.7 32.2

1949 … … … 20.0 31.3

1950 … … … 20.2 32.1

1951 … … … 21.6 33.9

1952 … … … 22.9 36.3

1953 … … … 21.4 34.3

1954 … … … 20.0 32.0

1955 … … … 20.0 31.4

1956 … … … 20.1 31.6

1957 … … … 19.2 30.2

1958 … … … 21.5 34.1

1959 … … … 22.4 36.0

1960 … … … 21.1 33.9

1961 … … … 22.0 34.8

1962 … … … 22.9 35.9

ORDINARY SUPPLEMENTARY BENEFIT RATES (INCLUDING RENT) AS A PERCENTAGE OF AVERAGE WEEKLY EARNINGS OF MALE MANUAL WORKERS IN OCTOBER^*

Married Persons

Year Single householder Without children With 2 children (both aged under 5) With 4 children (two aged under 5 and two aged 5–10)

1954 … … … … 22.8 35.8 46.8 60.0

1955 … … … … 22.3 35.0 46.0 59.0

1956 … … … … 22.9 35.5 47.6 59.7

1957 … … … … 20.0 34.0 44.6 56.9

1958 … … … … 24.7 38.3 49.9 63.1

1959 … … … … 25.5 40.0 52.0 66.1

1960 … … … … 24.1 37.6 48.9 61 .9

1961 … … … … 24.7 38.1 49.5 62.6

1962 … … … … 25.5 39.0 50.6 63.9

1963 … … … … 26.7 40.7 52.5 66.3

1964 … … … … 24.8 37.8 48.8 61.5

1965 … … … … 27.3 41.6 53.4 67.2

1966 … … … … 28.4 43.1 54.9 68.7

1967 … … … … 28.9 43.7 55.7 69.7

1968 … … … … 28.4 42.9 55.0 68.9

1969 … … … … 27.6 41.7 53.3 66.6

1970 … … … … 26.3 39.8 50.8 63.6

1971 … … … … 26.9 40.5 51.8 64.7

1972 … … … … 25.9 39.0 49.9 62.4

1973 … … … … 26.1 37.0 48.3 58.3

^* Taken from the inquiries conducted by the Department of Employment.

SUPPLEMENTARY BENEFIT ORDINARY SCALE RATES (TO WHICH IN PRACTICE AN ALLOWANCE FOR RENT WOULD BE ADDED) AS A PERCENTAGE OF NET AVERAGE EARNINGS OF MALE MANUAL WORKERS IN OCTOBER
Year	Single householder	Married couple
1948	…	…	…	20.7	32.2
1949	…	…	…	20.0	31.3
1950	…	…	…	20.2	32.1
1951	…	…	…	21.6	33.9
1952	…	…	…	22.9	36.3
1953	…	…	…	21.4	34.3
1954	…	…	…	20.0	32.0
1955	…	…	…	20.0	31.4
1956	…	…	…	20.1	31.6
1957	…	…	…	19.2	30.2
1958	…	…	…	21.5	34.1
1959	…	…	…	22.4	36.0
1960	…	…	…	21.1	33.9
1961	…	…	…	22.0	34.8
1962	…	…	…	22.9	35.9

ORDINARY SUPPLEMENTARY BENEFIT RATES (INCLUDING RENT) AS A PERCENTAGE OF AVERAGE WEEKLY EARNINGS OF MALE MANUAL WORKERS IN OCTOBER^*
							Married Persons
Year	Single householder	Without children	With 2 children (both aged under 5)	With 4 children (two aged under 5 and two aged 5–10)
1954	…	…	…	…	22.8	35.8	46.8	60.0
1955	…	…	…	…	22.3	35.0	46.0	59.0
1956	…	…	…	…	22.9	35.5	47.6	59.7
1957	…	…	…	…	20.0	34.0	44.6	56.9
1958	…	…	…	…	24.7	38.3	49.9	63.1
1959	…	…	…	…	25.5	40.0	52.0	66.1
1960	…	…	…	…	24.1	37.6	48.9	61 .9
1961	…	…	…	…	24.7	38.1	49.5	62.6
1962	…	…	…	…	25.5	39.0	50.6	63.9
1963	…	…	…	…	26.7	40.7	52.5	66.3
1964	…	…	…	…	24.8	37.8	48.8	61.5
1965	…	…	…	…	27.3	41.6	53.4	67.2
1966	…	…	…	…	28.4	43.1	54.9	68.7
1967	…	…	…	…	28.9	43.7	55.7	69.7
1968	…	…	…	…	28.4	42.9	55.0	68.9
1969	…	…	…	…	27.6	41.7	53.3	66.6
1970	…	…	…	…	26.3	39.8	50.8	63.6
1971	…	…	…	…	26.9	40.5	51.8	64.7
1972	…	…	…	…	25.9	39.0	49.9	62.4
1973	…	…	…	…	26.1	37.0	48.3	58.3
^* Taken from the inquiries conducted by the Department of Employment.