HC Deb 30 July 1984 vol 65 c109W
Mr. John

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what would be (a) the gross cost and (b) the net cost of paying an additional weekly pension of (i) £5,

Payment of unemployment benefit: (i) Gross cost £ million (ii) Net cost £ million Numbers lifted off supplementary benefit
(a) without contribution conditions 800 30 350,000
(b) without contribution conditions and without limit of time 2,800 600 750,000
(c) without contribution conditions, without limit of time, and at retirement pension rate after a year's unemployment 3,500 900 1,200,000

These estimates are based on the current numbers of people registering as unemployed. They do not take account of any increase in the number of claimants as a result of abolishing the contribution conditions: it is very likely that there would be such an increase but it is not possible to make sensible estimates of how large it would be.

The estimates also do not make any allowance for additional tax yield from the extension of unemployment benefit.