§ Mr. D. E. Thomasasked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) if she will publish in the Official Report
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TABLE 1 ESTIMATED NUMBER OF PEOPLE WITH INCOMES BELOW SUPPLEMENTARY BENEFIT LEVEL AT DECEMBER 1973 (EXCLUDING RECIPIENTS OF SUPPLEMENTARY BENEFIT) (Thousands) Families Persons 1. OVER PENSIONABLE AGE (60 for women, 65 for men) … 690 860 2. UNDER PENSIONABLE AGE … Family head or single person: … (a) normally in full-time work … 90 260 (b) sick or disabled for more than 3 months … 50 90 (c) unemployed for more than 3 months … 40 80 (d) others … 200 310 TOTAL UNDER PENSIONABLE AGE … 380 740 Of which in large families (3 children or more) … 40 240 And of which single parent families … 40 140 3. TOTAL OF 1 AND 2 … 1,070 1.600 her latest estimate of the number of persons in Wales of working age eligible for supplementary benefit not claiming benefit, and the total annual amount of benefit unclaimed;
(2) if she will publish in the Official Report her latest estimate of the number of persons of working age in the United Kingdom eligible for supplementary benefit not claiming benefits and the total annual amount of benefit unclaimed;
(3) if she will publish in the Official Report her latest estimate of the number of pensioners in Wales eligible for supplementary pension not claiming benefit and the total annual amount of benefit unclaimed;
(4) if she will publish in the Official Report her latest estimate of the number of pensioners in the United Kingdom eligible for supplementary pension not claiming benefit and the total annual amount of benefit unclaimed.
§ Mr. MeacherThe number of persons eligible for supplementary benefit but not claiming it is not known. Estimates of the number of families whose incomes are below their supplementary benefit level have, however, been derived from 1973 Family Expenditure Survey data. The tables are reproduced below. Such estimates do not purport to be estimates of entitlement to supplementary benefit since no account is taken of some of the detailed rules of eligibility in assessing entitlement—e.g. disregards on certain forms of income, and rules relating to income from capital. In addition, some families with incomes below supplementary benefit level may have no entitlement to benefits—e.g. when the head of the household is in full-time employment. It is not possible to give a separate estimate for Wales.
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TABLE 2 ESTIMATED NUMBER OF PEOPLE WITH INCOMES AT OR NOT MORE THAN 10 PER CENT, ABOVE THE SUPPLEMENTARY BENEFIT LEVEL IN DECEMBER 1973 (EXCLUDING SUPPLEMENTARY BENEFIT RECIPIENTS) (Thousands) Families Persons 1. OVER PENSIONABLE AGE (60 for women, 65 for men) … 550 680 2. UNDER PENSIONABLE AGE Family head or single person: (a) normally in full-time work … 90 290 (b) sick or disabled for more than 3 months … [20] [40] (c) unemployed for more than 3 months … [10] [40] (d) others … 70 120 TOTAL UNDER PENSIONABLE AGE … 190 490 Of which in large families (3 children or more) … 40 240 And of which single parent families … [20] [70] 3. TOTAL OF 1 AND 2 … 740 1,170
TABLE 3 ESTIMATED NUMBER OF PEOPLE NORMALLY IN RECEIPT OF SUPPLEMENTARY BENEFIT ON 6TH NOVEMBER 1973 (Thousands) Beneficiaries Beneficiaries and Dependants 1. OVER PENSIONABLE AGE (60 for woman, 65 for man) … 1,840 2,200 2. UNDER PENSIONABLE AGE Family head or single person: (a) sick or disabled for more than 3 months … 290 440 (b) unemployed for more than 3 months … 130 340 (c) others … 300 800 TOTAL UNDER PENSIONABLE AGE … 720 1,580 Of which in large families (3 or more children) … 90 500 And of which single parent families … 260 760 3. TOTAL OF 1 AND 2 … 2,560 3,780 Notes on the Tables:
1. All figures are rounded to the nearest 10,000.
2. The estimates are based on the Family Expenditure Survey (FES) for 1973. Data taken from the FES are subject to sampling error; those figures in square brackets are subject to very large sampling errors.
3. The supplementary benefit level is taken as being the supplementary benefit scale rate(s) appropriate to the family. Those defined as being within 10 per cent. of the supplementary benefit level are those whose net income less net housing costs is between 100 per cent. and 110 per cent. of their appropriate supplementary benefit scale rate(s).
4. The figures in Table 1 do not indicate unclaimed entitlement to supplementary benefit for several reasons. Most of those who are in full time work would not be able to claim supplementary Disregards and tariff income from capital are not considered in the basic comparison of net income less net housing costs with the supplementary benefit scale rates.
5. This table shows the normal employment situation of the heads of families. Those persons who have been sick, disabled or unemployed for less than three months and who may be currently claiming supplementary benefit and or national insurance benefits are classified according to their employment situation and usual earnings before the current period of sickness or unemployment.
6. Table 3 shows the number of people dependent on supplementary benefit. These figures are derived from a supplementary benefit sample enquiry for November 1973. As indicated above, data obtained from the FES which refers to the sick, disabled and unemployed relate for technical reasons to those who have been off work for over three months. Thus Table 3 excludes people who have received supplementary benefit for less than three months in order that the information should be consistent with that obtained from the FES.
7. In comparing the estimates in Tables 1 and 2 for 1972 and 1973 it must be stressed that almost all the differences between the estimates are not statistically significant. Such differences may be attributable to sampling error.