§ Mr. Nobleasked the Secretary of State for Social Services, of the 284,000 people registered as unemployed in October 1975, and who were in receipt of no benefit, what is her estimate of the numbers with entitlement to benefit; what steps she is taking to ensure they are made aware of their rights; and whether she is satisfied that her departmental staff are doing all in their power to ensure that hardship is relieved by payment of supplementary benefit.
§ Mr. O'MalleyWe have no detailed figures for October 1975, but it is estimated, on the strength of counts made at other times, that about a quarter of the 284,000 will in due course be found to have been entitled to unemployment benefit for the day of the count. In addition, some will qualify for unemployment benefit for later days, when they have completed their waiting days for benefit or when a disqualification expires, and others will qualify for supplementary benefit when they have exhausted their immediate resources, usually their last wages.
Steps are taken to inform callers at unemployment benefit offices of their rights and, in particular, supplementary benefit claim forms are issued to those known to be in immediate need; and notices about supplementary benefit are prominently displayed in the offices. I 216W am satisfied that the staff concerned do all they can to ensure that supplementary benefit is claimed by those who need it. If, however, my hon. Friend knows of any particular difficulty in this respect and will let me have details, I shall look into it in conjunction with my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Employment.
§ Mr. Arthur Lewisasked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether she will publish in the Official Report as much detailed information as may be available, giving the number of persons receiving social security payments of: £60, £70, £80, £90 and £100 per week, and those above in stated amounts, and for how long actually or on average these amounts have been paid; and what is the actual or estimated annual total cost of such payments for those receiving £70 a week or more.
§ Mr. O'MalleyI regret that the information requested by my hon. Friend is not available. Details are not kept about the numbers of beneficiaries receiving various amounts of benefit. The circumstances in which beneficiaries would be entitled to the various amounts envisaged in my hon. Friend's Question vary as between benefits. Excluding family allowances, which are payable equally to social security beneficiaries and to people in employment, a man would need at least seven children to get invaliditity benefit 217W of £60 a week; and the statistics available, do not extend beyond the category of "five or more children"
§ Mr. Nicholas Edwardsasked the Secretary of State for Social Services, further to the reply to the hon. Member for Pembroke on 13th October 1975, column 615, if she will publish for November of 1950, 1960, 1965, 1970 and 1974, and for the latest month for which figures are
RECIPIENTS OF REGULAR WEEKLY NATIONAL ASSISTANCE/SUPPLEMENTARY BENEFIT Thousands December 1950 December 1960 December 1965 November 1970 November 1974 August 1975 All Nationals Assistance/Supplementary Benefit … … 1,350* 1,857* 1,997* 2,739 2,680 2,875 All Pensions … … … 852 1,307 1,420 1,902 1,807 1,685 Retirement Pensions and NI 677 1,075 1,239 1,745 1,712 1,593 Widows aged 60 or over … Others … … … 175 232 181 156 96 93 All Allowances … … … 498 550 577 836 872 1,190 Unemployed with NI Benefits‡ 38 43 34 73 73 102 Unemployed without NI Benefist‡ … … … 39 85 78 166 228 515 Sick and disabled without NI Benefits … … … 114 139 149 164 95 77 Sick and disabled without NI Benefits … … … 307† 283† 138 159 165 163 NI widows under age 60 … 55 63 42 34 Women with dependent children … … … 108 191 245 271 Others … … … 15 20 24 28 * Excludes unsupplemented non-contributory old-age pension. † Further breakdown not available. ‡ For years before 1974, figures may include some unemployed cases who received no payment of supplementary benefit during the week covered by the enquiry. Notes: (a) Due to rounding, individual components may not sum to the totals. (b) The table is based on a sample of supplementary benefit cases current at the dates shown.