§ Mrs. Haymanasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is his estimate of the take-up rate of child benefit increase among those who would benefit from it; and what plans he has to improve it.
§ Mr. Orme, pursuant to his reply [Official Report, 15 December 1978: Vol. 960, c. 470], gave the following information:
On the basis of the estimate by the Office of Population, Censuses and Surveys that there were a total of 750,000 lone parents in 1976, take-up at the end of 1977 would have amounted to about 60 per cent. of those who would have benefitted from child benefit (increase). I am encouraged to see that since the end of 1977 the number of recipients has been increasing steadily and has now reached 323,000—including those—around 70,000 at the end of 1977—who do not derive immediate advantage from child benefit (increase). This reflects the special measures which have already been taken to encourage claims as well as the impact caused by the introduction of the £2 rate in November. I am watching the development of the present trend and will be reviewing the take-up position in the spring.