§ Mr. Heseltineasked the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) how many 537W private tenants were eligible for rent allowances and failed to take them up in 1977–78 and 1978–79, or the most recent year for which figures are available;
(2) how many public sector tenants were eligible for rent rebates and failed to take them up in 1977–78 and 1978–79, or the most recent year for which figures are available.
§ Mr. ShoreIt is estimated that in England and Wales in the financial year 1977–78, the latest year for whch estimates are available, about 200,000 public sector tenants and about 150,000 tenants in private unfurnished accommodation were eligible for rent rebates or rent allowances but failed to claim them. Those figures do not include eligible non-claimants who would be better off claiming supplementary benefits.
Figures relating to tenants of private furnished accommodation are not available.
§ Mr. Heseltineasked the Secretary of State for the Environment, how many (a) home owners, (b) public sector tenants and (c) private sector tenants were eligible for rate rebates; and how many took them up, in 1977–78 and 1978–79, or the most recent year for which figures are available.
§ Mr. ShoreIn 1977–78 the number of ratepayers granted rate rebates in England and Wales was:
Owner-occupiers 1.36 million Local authority tenants 1.08 million Private sector tenants 0.26 million All ratepayers 2.70 million I estimate that the total eligibility for rate rebates was approximately 3.85 million. I do not have available any reliable breakdown of this figure by tenure group.
Information in respect of 1978–79 is not yet available.
§ Mr. Heseltineasked the Secretary of State for the Environment what were the administrative costs to (a) central Government and (b) local authorities of paying (i) rent and rate rebates and (ii) rent allowances, in 1977–78 and 1978–79, or the most recent year for which figures are available.
§ Mr. ShoreThe following are the administrative costs to English local538W authorities of paying the benefits indicated:
1977–78 Out-turn figures Rent rebates £7.1 million Rent allowances £4.0 million 1978–79 estimates Rent rebates £8.0 million Rent allowances £4.0 million Information on the administrative costs to local authorities of paying rate rebates is not available. The administrative cost to central Government of paying these benefits is insignificant.