§ Mr. Fieldasked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) how many claimants have had (a) direct payment deduction from the benefit for fuel and (b) a savings deduction for fuel, for each year since 1974; and if he will classify the information by the amount of the deduction or saving by convenient categories;
- (2) if he will update table 10.1 in the Supplementary Benefits Commission report for 1977;
- (3) if he will detail the number of deductions for (a) electricity and (b) gas bills currently being made from a claimant's weekly benefit; and if these data could be classified according to weekly deductions (a) under £1, (b) over £1 but less than £2, (c) over £2 but less than £3, (d) over £3 but less than £4, (e)
Table 1 Supplementary pensioners Supplementary allowances Total Number Average amount Number Average amount Number Average amount November 1974 … Not available December 1975 … 7,000 £1.91 30,000 £2.28 36,000 £2.21 December 1976 … 9,000 £2.44 64,000 £2.92 72,000 £2.86 November 1977 … 17,000 £2.58 85,000 £3.44 101,000 £3.30 November 1978 … 12,000 £3.68 85,000 £4.09 97,000 £4.04
Table 2 Type of fuel Supplementary pensioners Unemployed Sick and disabled 1-Parent families Others Total Electricity: Number 8,000 18,000 4,000 33,000 1,000 65,000 Average deduction £3.96 £4.24 £3.42 £4.58 £3.64 £4.31 Gas: Number 3,000 9,000 2,000 16,000 1,000 31,000 Average deduction £2.91 £3.71 £2.77 £3.59 £3.32 £3.49
Table 3 Range Electricity bills Gas bills £1 and under … … … … … 7,000 2,000 £l.01-£2.00 … … … … … 11,000 8,000 £2.0l-£3.00 … … … … … 15,000 14,000 £3.01-£4.00 … … … … … 15,000 8,000 £4.01-£5.00 … … … … … 8,000 2,000 £5.01-£6.00 … … … … … 6,000 1,000 £6.01-£7.00 … … … … … 4,000 Less than 500 £7.01-£8.00 … … … … … 2,000 — £8.01 and over … … … … … 1,000 —
§ Mr. Fieldasked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many supple-
376Wover £4 but less than £5, (f) over £5 but less than £6, (g) over £6 but less than £7, (h) over £7 but less than £8, (i) over £8 but less than £9, (j) over £9 but less than £10 and (k) over £10.
§ Mrs. Chalker[pursuant to her reply, 30 November 1979, c. 829–30]: Table 1 below shows the number of deductions from benefit to meet fuel costs. Table 2 updates table 10.1 in the annual report of the Supplementary Benefits Commission for 1977 and shows the number of deductions being made from benefit for fuel in November 1978. Table 3 gives a breakdown of deductions by amounts in November 1977, the latest date for which such statistics are readily available. Statistics for deductions from benefit for fuel do not distinguish between voluntary savings and deductions made under arrangements for payment direct to fuel suppliers, and the heading to table 10.1 of the annual report of the Supplementary Benefits Commission for 1977 was therefore slightly misleading.
mentary benefit claimants have dependants aged under five years.
377W
§ Mrs. Chalker[pursuant to her reply, 30 November 1979, c. 829–30]: 238,000 at November 1978.
§ Mr. Fieldasked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many supplementary benefit claimants are aged 75 years and over; and how many dependants are covered by these claimants.
§ Mrs. Chalker[pursuant to her reply, 30 November 1979, c. 829–30]: At November 1978 there were 769,000 claimants aged 75 years and over of
ANALYSIS OF EXTRA HEATING ADDITIONS Thousands Supplementary pensioners Supplementary allowance Total Rate 1977 November 1978 November 1977 November 1978 November 1977 November 1978 November Lower 619 657 72 78 691 735 Middle 301 307 34 39 334 346 Higher 18 24 3 4 21 28 Others (including central heating) 232 245 178 191 410 436 Totals 1,169 1,234 287 312 1,456 1,546 Percentage of total beneficiaries 67 71 23 26 49 53
§ Mr. Fieldasked the Secretary of State for Social Services how much the Supplementary Benefits Commission has paid out to claimants in (a) extra weekly payments and (b) lump sum payments for each year since 1970; and if these data could be classified according to (i) the
Date Number of cases with additions Average weekly amount £ Estimated annual equivalent gross cost in benefit £ million November 1970 … … … 445,000 0.37 8½ November 1971 … … … 425,000 0.39 8½ November 1972 … … … 482,000 0.49 12 November 1973 … … … 753,000 0.47 18 November 1974 … … … 913,000 0.67 31 December 1975 … … … 1,090,000 0.90 50 December 1976 … … … 1,431,000 1.24 91 November 1977 … … … 1,619,000 1.34 112 November 1978 … … … 1,666,000 1.48 127 Information on exceptional needs payments from 1968 to 1978 is contained in table 15.3 of the report of the Supplementary Benefits Commission for 1978 (Cmnd. 7725). It is not possible to say how many claimants benefited from these payments.