HC Deb 18 January 1978 vol 942 cc268-70W
Mrs. Chalker

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what was the total number of persons receiving supplementary benefit, and the numbers per 1,000 population in Great Britain, Scotland, Wales, England and each English

Regions Number of Supplementary Beneficiaries Supplementary Beneficiaries per 1,000 population*
1976 (Thousands) 1977 (Thousands) 1976 1977
GREAT BRITAIN 3,126 3,264 57 60
SCOTLAND 312 322 59 61
WALES 194 205 70 74
ENGLAND 2,619 2,738 56 59
ENGLISH REGIONS†
Northern 220 230 70 74
Yorkshire and Humberside 311 312 64 64
East Midlands 193 200 52 54
East Anglia 75 80 42 44
South-East 826 868 49 51
South-West 227 240 53 56
West Midlands 295 313 57 61
North-West‡ 472 494 72 75
* Based on 1976 mid-year population projection.
† Administrative regions. The figures must be regarded as approximate because the areas covered by the offices to which they relate are not always coterminous with regional boundaries.
‡ A separate population estimate is not available for the Merseyside DHSS region, but the number of supplementary beneficiaries, included in those shown for North-West, were (1976) 236,000 and (1977) 254.000.

Mrs. Chalker

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many claims for supplementary benefit were made in the years 1976 and 1977 in Great Britain, Scotland, Wales, England and each

Region Number of Claims to Supplementary Benefit in 52 weeks up to Claims per 1,000 population* in 52 weeks up to
30th November 1976 29th November 1977 30th November 1976 29th November 1977
(Thousands) (Thousands)
GREAT BRITAIN 5,710 5,743 105 105
SCOTLAND 656 661 124 125
WALES 359 352 130 127
ENGLAND 4,695 4,730 101 102
ENGLISH REGION†
Northern 366 381 117 122
Yorkshire and Humberside 529 524 108 107
East Midlands‡ 476 482 86 87
East Anglia‡
South-East 1,483 1,479 88 88
South-West 425 414 100 97
West Midlands 576 597 112 116
North-West 841 852 128 130
* Based on 1976 mid-year population projection. Some members of the population will have been responsible for more than one claim.
† Administrative regions. The figures must be regarded as approximate because the areas covered by the offices to which they relate are not always co-terminous with regional boundaries.
‡ Separate claims figures for East Midlands and East Anglia regions are not readily available.

region, including Merseyside, in November 1976 and November 1977.

Mr. Orme

The latest available figures on the information requested are for August 1977. The information for December will be available later. The table below compares the position in August 1976 and August 1977.

English region; and if he will express each figure per 1,000 population.

Mr. Orme

The information is in the following table: