HC Deb 26 June 1980 vol 987 cc276-7W
Mr. Field

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will list the supplementary benefit poverty line (a) including average rent payments and (b) excluding rent payments for a single person, married couple, married couple with two and four children, taking into account the November uprating; and if he will also list the tax threshold for each of these groups taking into account the Budget changes.

Mrs. Chalker

I assume that the hon. Member is referring to supplementary benefit scale rates. The following table sets out the supplementary benefit scale rates from November and the other information for which the hon. Member asks.

of the circumstances for which the benefits listed in the Official Report, 27 March, columns 1674–78, takes account, including the amounts paid when the father is in receipt of industrial injury benefits or war pensions, also distinguishing between benefits which are taxable and those which are tax free, and showing the amounts and percentages by which each will be increased next November.

Mrs. Chalker

[pursuant to her reply, 16 June 1980, c. 439]: For benefits

Before uprating After uprating Percentage increase
£ £
1. Supplementary benefit—child aged 16–17 11.25 13.10 16.45
2. Long-term benefits (other than supplementary benefit* 11.10 12.25 10.36
3. Supplementary benefit-child aged 13–15 or 11–12 9.35 10.90 16.57
7.70 41.56
4. Supplementary benefit—child aged 5–10 or under 5 6.25 7.30 16.80
5.20 40.38
5. Other benefits†‡ 5.70 6.00 5.26
* Invalidity or retirement pension, war or industrial injuries unemployability supplement, widow's benefits, child's special allowance, guardian's allowance, unemployment or sickness benefit when beneficiary over pension age, non-contributory invalidity pension, invalid care allowance.
† Injury benefit, unemployment or sickness benefit, maternity allowance.
‡ Where a lone person qualifies for a child benefit increase, which extinguishes the child dependency allowance payable for a first or only child, the amount is increased by 19.23 per cent, from £6.50 to £7.75.

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