HC Deb 05 February 1980 vol 978 cc194-6W
Mr. Ralph Howell

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will publish a table comparing the cut-off points on the income scale at which entitlement to rent rebates, rent allowances and rate rebates are extinguished, with the tax thresholds, including child benefits where appropriate, for each of a single person, a married couple, and families with each of one, two, three and four children, assuming (a) that each family lives in local authority housing and pays average rent and rates for the size of housing required, and (b) that each family has a £12,000 mortgage, payable over 25 years, and that rates are £200 a year.

Mr. Geoffrey Finsberg

The following table gives the information requested so far as possible. Payment of mortgage interest does not affect entitlement to rate rebates. It is not practicable to give tax thresholds for mortgagors since these vary according to the terms pf individual mortgages.

Local Authority Tenants Owner Occupiers—rates £ 200 a year
Family size Average weekly rent Income at which rent rebate ceases Average weekly rates Income at which rate rebate ceases Tax threshold per week (including child benefits) Income at which rate rebate ceases
(1) (2) (3) (4) (5) (6) (7)
£ £ £ £ £ £
Single person … … … … … … 5.55 54.50 1.95 53.88 22.40 72.88
Married couple … … … … … … 5.55 69.00 1.95 68.38 34.90 87.38
Couple and 1 child … … … … … … 6.32 79.45 2.22 78.78 38.90 95.08
Couple and 2 children … … … … … 6.68 88.45 2.34 87.68 42.90 102.78
Couple and 3 children … … … … … 8.04 100.90 2.82 100.18 46.90 110.48
Couple and 4 children … … … … … 8.04 108.60 2.82 107.88 50.90 118.18
Notes:
(1) Column 2 shows the average rents at the end of April 1979 for local authority dwellings with one, two, three, and four or more bedrooms.
(2) Columns 3, 5 and 7 assume that the claimant is earning. For non-earners the cut-off points would be £5 lower.
(3) Column 4 assumes a ratio of rent to rates of 2.85:1, i.e. the average for local authority dwellings in England and Wales at the end of April 1979.
(4) Column 6 applies to tenants below pensionable age.