§ Mr. Stevensasked the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the average annual cost of housing a new public sector tenant who is a 70-year-old pensioner whose sole source of income is the retirement pension, and who has £15,000 capital producing £1,500 per annum income, respectively, broken down between (a) capital expenditure, (d) annual housing subsidy, (c) rent rebate or allowance, (d) fuel, (e) any other housing costs and (f) any additional entitlement to supplementary pension or benefit.
§ Mr Geoffrey Finsberg[pursuant to his reply 25 June 1980, c. 213]: Following are the estimates:
£ (a) see below (b) Annual housing subsidy 270(1) (c) Annual Rent Rebate 32 (d) Annual Heating Allowance Nil (e) Any other housing costs (annual) Nil (f) Supplementary pension (annual) Nil
Thousands of households Public sector tenants Private sector tenants Pensioner households Non-pensioner households Pensioner households Non-pensioner households Number of households (England) (end-1977)* 1,660 3,350 750 1,670 Number receiving supplementary benefits at February 1980 (England and Wales) 832 450 310† 130†
Housing Association tenants Owner occupiers Pensioner households Non-pensioner households Pensioner households Non-pensionre households Number of households (England) (end-1977)* 100 130 2,330 6,830 Number receiving supplementary benefits at February 1980 (England and Wales) — — 324 98 *Source: National dwelling and housing survey in England at the end of 1977.
† Including housing association tenants.
Information on taxes paid and average benefit received by people in different tenures is not available.
§ Mr. Stevensasked the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the average cost to public funds of a lady pensioner, aged 70 years, whose only source of income is the retirement pension, and who is a public sector tenant, broken down as between (a) general sub-
292W(1) This figure consists of average loan charges plus average management and maintenance costs less the estimated un-rebated rent.
Capital expenditure of about £15,000—land and building—would be incurred if the tenant were to move into a newly constructed dwelling. The local authority would, of course, have the dwelling as an asset to get against the financial liability.
§ Mr. Stevensasked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will publish a breakdown, as between pensioner and non-pensioner housedolds, of public sector tenants, private sector tenants, housing association tenants and homeowners indicating for each group (a) how many pay no tax, (b) how many pay less than £250 tax per annum, (c) how many pay £250 or more tax per annum and (d) how many receive supplementary pension or benefit; and for the last group, what is the average benefit received.
§ Mr Geoffrey Finsberg[pursuant to his reply, 25 June 1980, c. 213]: Following is the information:
sidies, (b) income related subsides, (c) total current expenditure and (d) local authority capital expenditure.
§ Mr Geoffrey Finsberg[pursuant to his reply, 25 June 1980, c. 213]: The average cost to the Exchequer of a 70-year-old female public sector tenant, receiving the 293W old-age pension as her only source of income, is estimated to be:
£ (a) General Subsidies 270(1) (b) Income related subsidies (pa) 220(2) (c) Total current expenditure (a+b) 490 (1) The figure of £270 comprises average loan charges, plus average cost of maintenance and management less the estimated unrebated rent.
(2) This relates only to housing subsidies. In addition, the tenant would qualify for supplementary benefit. The £220 is the indirect rent rebate paid by the local authority to the DHSS. The balance of the rent would be taken into account in the assessment of supplementary pension, which would also include water charges and domestic rates and possibly a heating addition. Assistance in respect of water charges, rates and heating would also be available to supplementary benefit recipients in other tenures.
Capital expenditure of about £15,000—land and buildings—would be incurred if the tenant were to move into a newly constructed dwelling. The local authority would, of course, have the dwelling as an asset to set against the financial liability.