HC Deb 06 July 1984 vol 63 c350W
Mr. Pike

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many people are currently in receipt of housing benefit (a) in England, (b) in Lancashire and (c) in Burnley.

Dr. Boyson

[pursuant to his reply, 4 June 1984, c. 29]: My reply cited estimates provided by Burnley borough council in August 1983 of the number of households in Burnley receiving housing benefits. Unfortunately the figure I gave represented the total number of rent rebate, rent allowance and rate rebate awards over a period of time. As such, and since some households receive both rent and rate rebates, the number of recipients at a fixed point was overestimated. I am sorry that this mistake should have occurred.

I understand that Burnley borough council has provided revised figures for its mid-year estimate for 1983–84. It estimates that there were about 16,000 rate rebate recipients at that time, including about 5,900 in the private sector. The number of rate rebate recipients is generally used as a proxy for the total number of recipients.