§ Mr. Corbettasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the latest number of recipients of family income supplement; what was the figure 12 months earlier; how many claims have been refused in each of the last two years; what is the total cost of the scheme; and what is the latest estimate of the number of people eligible for FIS.
§ Mr. DeakinsEstimates of the number of families eligible to receive family income supplement are based on limited information using the Family Expenditure Survey and are subject to wide margins of error. Using 1974 data—the latest available—it is estimated that about three-quarters of those eligible were in464W receipt of the supplement. The average number of awards during 1974 was 78,000 and it is estimated that the number of families eligible for FIS, including those receiving it, was about 100,000.
Following is the additional information requested:
Thousands April 1975 April 1976 Number of families in receipt Family Income Supplement 57 60 May 1974 to April 1975 May 1975 to April 1976 Number of claims rejected 58 53 Total cost (financial year 1975–76): £11.9 million