Supplementary Benefit (Hansard, 29 October 1976)

§ Mr. George
asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what was the value of long-term supplementary benefit and national insurance rate for short-term

COMPARISON OF SUPPLEMENTARY BENEFIT SCALE RATES^* FOR A SINGLE PERSON AND A MARRIED COUPLE WITH GROSS† AND NET‡ AVERAGE EARNINGS

Short Term Long Term§ Net Earnings

Date Single Person Married Couple Single Person Married Couple Gross Earnings Single Person Married Couple

£ £ £ £ £ £ £

November 1966 … 4.05 6.65 4.50 7.10 20.24 15.22 16.17

October 1967 … 4.30 7.05 4.75 7.50 21.375 15.87 16.82

October 1968 … 4.55 7.45 5.05 7.95 23.00 16.93 17.88

November 1969 … 4.80 7.85 5.30 8.35 25.00 18.02 18.97

November 1970 … 5.20 8.50 5.70 9.00 28.40 20.21 21.32

September 1971 … 5.80 9.45 6.30 9.95 30.70 22.02 23.06

October 1972 … 6.55 10.65 7.15 11.25 35.82 26.31 27.36

October 1973 … 7.15 11.65 8.15 12.85 40.92 29.67 30.71

July 1974 … 8.40 13.65 10.40 16.35 46.25 32.24 33.77

April 1975 … 9.60 15.65 12.00 18.85 54.05 36.70 38.58

November 1975 … 10.90 17.75 13.70 21.55 60.58║ 40.58 42.46

^* Excluding rent addition.

† Estimates made by the Department of Health and Social Security based on the Department of Employment's enquiry into the earnings of full-time manual wage earners in manufacturing and some of the principal non-manufacturing industries and the monthly index of average earnings.

‡ Gross earnings minus tax and national insurance contributions.

§ Between November 1966 and September 1973, the ordinary rate plus a long-term addition payable only to those over pensionable age and to those under pensionable age, other than the unemployed, who had received supplementary benefit for a continuous period of two years or more.

║ Provisional.

§ Mr. Sproat
asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will list the number of persons drawing supplementary benefit in 1970, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1975 and at the latest available date in 1976.

§ Mr. Deakins
The information requested is shown in the following table:

NUMBERS RECEIVING SUPPLEMENTARY BENEFIT AT A DATE IN THE MONTH SHOWN

(in thousands)

November 1970 … … 2,738

November 1971 … … 2,909

November 1972 … … 2,911

November 1973 … … 2,675

November 1974 … … 2,680

December 1975 … … 2,793

August 1976 … … 3,126

COMPARISON OF SUPPLEMENTARY BENEFIT SCALE RATES^* FOR A SINGLE PERSON AND A MARRIED COUPLE WITH GROSS† AND NET‡ AVERAGE EARNINGS
			Short Term	Long Term§	Net Earnings
Date	Single Person	Married Couple	Single Person	Married Couple	Gross Earnings	Single Person	Married Couple
		£	£	£	£	£	£	£
November 1966	…	4.05	6.65	4.50	7.10	20.24	15.22	16.17
October 1967	…	4.30	7.05	4.75	7.50	21.375	15.87	16.82
October 1968	…	4.55	7.45	5.05	7.95	23.00	16.93	17.88
November 1969	…	4.80	7.85	5.30	8.35	25.00	18.02	18.97
November 1970	…	5.20	8.50	5.70	9.00	28.40	20.21	21.32
September 1971	…	5.80	9.45	6.30	9.95	30.70	22.02	23.06
October 1972	…	6.55	10.65	7.15	11.25	35.82	26.31	27.36
October 1973	…	7.15	11.65	8.15	12.85	40.92	29.67	30.71
July 1974	…	8.40	13.65	10.40	16.35	46.25	32.24	33.77
April 1975	…	9.60	15.65	12.00	18.85	54.05	36.70	38.58
November 1975	…	10.90	17.75	13.70	21.55	60.58║	40.58	42.46
^* Excluding rent addition.
† Estimates made by the Department of Health and Social Security based on the Department of Employment's enquiry into the earnings of full-time manual wage earners in manufacturing and some of the principal non-manufacturing industries and the monthly index of average earnings.
‡ Gross earnings minus tax and national insurance contributions.
§ Between November 1966 and September 1973, the ordinary rate plus a long-term addition payable only to those over pensionable age and to those under pensionable age, other than the unemployed, who had received supplementary benefit for a continuous period of two years or more.
║ Provisional.

NUMBERS RECEIVING SUPPLEMENTARY BENEFIT AT A DATE IN THE MONTH SHOWN
			(in thousands)
November 1970	…	…	2,738
November 1971	…	…	2,909
November 1972	…	…	2,911
November 1973	…	…	2,675
November 1974	…	…	2,680
December 1975	…	…	2,793
August 1976	…	…	3,126