§ Mr. George Rodgersasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the total income available per week to a family consisting of an unemployed husbond, dependent wife and two children, the figure to include unemployment allowances and family allowance; and what would be the total income if earnings-related supplement were available at the maximum rate.
§ Mr. OrmeThe total income which an unemployed man with a wife and two children might receive would depend on his personal circumstances and on the age of his children. In particular, any entitlement to unemployment benefit and earnings-related supplement would depend on his previous work record and level of earnings, and on the duration of any interruption of employment which had arisen from past periods of sickness638W or unemployment. However, the standard rate of flat-rate unemployment benefit payable to a man with a dependent wife and two dependent children for the first 12 months of unemployment is currently £27.50 a week; and the maximum weekly rate of earnings-related supplement, payable for up to six months, is £12.18. Family allowances of £1.50 a week would also be payable, and there might, in addition, be entitlement to other, means-tested, benefits such as rent and/or rate rebates, free welfare milk and free school meals according to the particular circumstances of the family.
§ Mr. George Rodgersasked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many unemployed families receive family income supplement according to the most recently available figures.
§ Mr. OrmeI regret this information is not available, but there are good reasons for thinking the number is very small. The recently published—June 1976—follow-up to the 1973 study of FIS families showed that only 3 per cent. of them were unemployed a year later, and FIS would not have continued, under the year's run-on, in all of those cases; the 1975 Family Expenditure Survey contained no record of an unemployed family receiving FIS, and in December 1975 less than 2½ per cent. of those receiving FIS were required to register for employment whilst also receiving supplementary benefit.