§ Mr. Fieldasked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many persons were transferred from supplementary benefits to the rent and rate rebate scheme under its " better off" principle for each year since 1972.
§ Mrs. ChalkerFollowing a special scrutiny of supplementary benefit records between November 1974 and September 1976, 88,000 claimants were recorded as deciding to change to rate rebate and rent rebate or rent allowance. I regret that figures for other periods are not available. The Department's local offices normally try to advise new claimants whether they would be better off receiving housing rebates, but records are not kept of the numbers who decide to claim rebates instead of supplementary benefit.