HC Deb 03 December 1981 vol 14 c217W
Mr. Field

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will list (a) the number of claimants and (b) basis.

November 1970 November 1974 November 1979 August 1981
(Thousands)
All supplementary beneficiaries 13.8 15.4 17.3 21.9
Supplementary pensioners 9.0 8.8 8.2 8.1
Unemployed 1.6 3.5 5.7 10.0
Sick 1.7 1.4 1.2 1.3
One-parent families 1.0 1.4 1.9 2.2
Others 0.5 0.4 0.3 0.3
* The 1970 figures are not strictly comparable with the others due to boundary changes in April 1974.