§ Mr. Sheermanasked the Secretary of State for Social Services, how much it costs in terms of benefit to keep (a) an unemployed single person, and (b) an unemployed married man with two children.
§ Dr. BoysonA single person entitled to the standard rate of unemployment benefit now gets £27.05 a week; and a married man with a dependent wife and two children gets £44.05 a week, plus £13 child benefit. Housing benefit may also be payable, to assist with housing costs; the amount will depend on the level of the claimant's rent and rates, the amount of any other income he may have and the size of his household. A claimant whose resources were not otherwise sufficient could receive supplementary benefit to bring his income up to the level prescribed: this would be £26.80 a week for a single person, assuming that he was a householder, and £66.35 a week for the married man, assuming that his children were aged 12 and 8, plus in both cases any additional requirements to which the regulations might entitle him, anyone receiving supplementary benefit would generally have his housing costs met in full.