§ Mr. Kilroy-Silkasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he is satisfied with the operation of the housing benefit scheme in the borough of Knowsley; and if he has received representations about the scheme.
§ Dr. BoysonThe borough of Knowsley is responsible for the operation of the housing benefit scheme in Knowsley. I have not received any representations about the operation of the scheme in Knowsley.
§ Mr. Squireasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is his estimate of the number of people who will become eligible for housing benefit supplement as a result of the recently announced changes in housing benefit.
§ Dr. BoysonWe estimate that the proposed changes will have only a marginal effect on the number of housing benefit supplement cases.
§ Mr. Squireasked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many local authorities will lose their high rent status under the housing benefit scheme as a result of the change in the national threshold; and how many authorities will retain their high rent status.
§ Dr. BoysonI refer my hon. Friend to my reply to the hon. Member for Bradford, West (Mr. Madden) on 5 December.—[Vol. 50 c.66–67.]
§ Mr. Andrew Bowdenasked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether any pensioners with additional income who do not qualify for supplementary benefit will be made worse off than supplementary pensioners as a result of changes to housing benefit.
§ Dr. BoysonI refer my hon. Friend to my reply to him on 5 December — [Vol. 50 c.61] — relating to occupational pensioners, who are treated the same way as other pensioners with additional income for housing benefit purposes.
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§ Mr. Andrew Bowdenasked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) if he will estimate how many pensioners will lose (a) 75p to £1 a week, (b) £1.50 to £2 a week, (c) £2 to £2.50, (d) £2.50 to £3, (e) £3 to £3.50, (f) £3.50 to £4, (g) £4 to £4.50 and (h) £4.50 to £5 and additional losses of 50p per week as far as possible as a result of changes to housing benefit regulations announced in the autumn statement;
(2) if he will estimate the number of (i) single and (ii) married pensioners who will lose the following sums per week as a result of changes to housing benefit announced in the autumn statement: (a) 0 to 50p per week, (b) 50p to £1 per week, (c) £1 to £1.50 per week, (d) £1.50 to £2, (e) £2 to £2.50, (f) £2.50 to £3, (g) £3 to £3.50, (h) £3.50 to £4, (i) £4 to £4.50 and (j) £4.50 to £5, and additional losses of 50p per week; and if he will estimate the relevant income above the needs allowance on which such losses depend in each case.
§ Dr. BoysonI regret that a breakdown showing single and married pensioners separately could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
An estimated breakdown, giving the effect of the proposed taper changes and the proposed increase in the minima for all pensioner standard cases, is shown below the breakdown is only readily available in £1 loss bands at the higher levels.
Pensioner households affected (Great Britain) Size of weekly loss 000s £0.01– £0.50 700 £0.51–£1.00 290 (£0.76–£1.00 120) £1.01–£1.50 130 £1.51—£2.00 80 £2.01–£2.50 50 £2.51–£3.00 30 £3.01–£4.00 30 £4.01–£5.00 20 £5.01–£6£00 * £6.01 + 0 Note
* indicates number less than 5,000.
I am having these estimates broken down to show the income distribution and shall let my hon. Friend have this as soon as possible.
§ Mr. Andrew Bowdenasked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many pensioner households were protected from loss of housing benefit entitlement due to taper changes between April 1982–83 by the transitional addition; and how many will lose entitlement as a result of the end of transitional addition in April 1984.
§ Dr. BoysonWe estimate that 180,000 pensioners received transitional protection to limit taper losses at April 1983, but it is not possible to say how many of these would otherwise have lost all entitlement to benefit. It is not possible, therefore, to estimate how many will lose entitlement as a result of the end of the transitional protection in April 1984.