Family Incomes (Hansard, 20 December 1979)

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services

(a) NUMBERS OF CHILDREN IN FAMILIES WITH THREE OR MORE CHILDREN ("LARGE FAMILIES") AT SPECIFIED INCOME LEVELS
	Family income below supplementary benefit level	Family receiving supplementary benefit	Family income between supplementary benefit level and 140 per cent. of that level
Number of children in "large families"	210,000	510,000	1,110,000
Percentage of all children in "large families"	4	10	22

(b) NUMBERS OF CHILDREN IN ONE-PARENT FAMILIES AT SPECIFIED INCOME LEVELS
	Family income below supplementary benefit level	Family receiving supplementary benefit	Family income between supplementary benefit level and 140 per cent. of that level
Number of children in one-parent families	70,000	580,000	200,000
Percentage of all children in one-parent families	5	41	14
Notes on the Tables:
1. These estimates are subject to statistical error. All the figures have been rounded to the nearest 10,000.
2. The estimates for those families not receiving supplementary benefit, that is, those whose incomes are either below supplementary benefit level or between supplementary benefit level and 140 per cent. of that level, are based on a Department of Health and Social Security analysis of incomes and other information recorded by respondents to the family expenditure survey (FES) for 1977. The estimates relate only to the population living in private households. Families and persons in institutions are not included in the FES sample.
3. The estimates for those families receiving supplementary benefit are derived from the annual statistical inquiry of supplementary benefit claimants.
4. The supplementary benefit level is taken as being the supplementary benefit scale rates appropriate to the family, using the long-term rates for pensioners only. Income refers to net income less net housing costs, less work expenses where appropriate.
5. The comparison is based on the family's normal income in the normal employment of the family head. For example, where the head of the family had been off work due to sickness or unemployment for less than three months at the time of the survey, the family's normal income when the head was at work was used in determining the level of income.
6. The estimates for families with income below the supplementary benefit level do not indicate unclaimed entitlement to supplementary benefit. For example, those who are in full-time work or undertaking full-time further education would not normally have entitlement to supplementary benefit; for others not precluded from claiming, no regard is had in these estimates to factors such as disregarded income, treatment of capital or exceptional circumstances additions, each of which can affect payment of supplementary benefit.

366W

if he will publish a table showing the number of children from (a) families of three or more children, and (b) one-parent families, living in families with incomes either below, at or within 140 per cent. of supplementary benefit levels, as a percentage of all children from large families and all children of one-parent families.