HC Deb 30 July 1984 vol 65 cc109-10W
Mr. Frank Field

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will estimate to what level (a) family income supplement and (b) child benefit would need to be raised in order to ensure all workers' families with children have an income above their supplementary benefit entitlement.

Mr. Newton

[pursuant to his reply, 11 July 1984]: I understand that the hon. Member has in mind the estimates of low income families from the analysis of 1981 family expenditure survey data. This analysis indicated that there were then 130,000 families with children with the family head in full-time work and with incomes below the supplementary benefit level.

It is estimated that if:

(ii) £10 and (iii) £15, to all retirement pensioners less any additional component or graduated pension they are receiving; and how many people would be lifted off supplementary benefit in each case.

Dr. Boyson

[pursuant to his reply, 4 June 1984, c. 35–36]: The estimated costs in 1983–84 of paying a weekly addition to retirement pensioners are as follows:

Payment of weekly addition of: (a) Gross cost £ billion (b) Net cost £ billion Numbers lifted off supplementary benefit
(i) £5* 2 1.5 500,000
(ii) £10* 4.25 3.25 1,100,000
(iii) £15* 6.5 5.5 1,500,000
* Less any additional component or graduated pension in payment.

Mr. John

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what would be (i) the gross cost and (ii) the net cost of paying unemployment benefit (a) without contribution conditions, (b) without contribution conditions and without limit of time and (c) without contribution conditions, without limit of time and at the retirement pension rate after a year's unemployment; and, in each case, how many people would be lifted off supplementary benefit as a result.

Dr. Boyson

[pursuant to his reply, 4 June 1984, c. 35–36]: The estimated costs at November 1983 benefits rates are as follows:

  1. (a) Family income supplement qualifying levels and maximum payments had been 50 per cent. higher than the rates then current, 85 per cent. of these families would have had incomes above their supplementary benefit level at the lime of survey interview. This assumes that all families entitled to benefit received it.
  2. (b) Child benefit had been 300 per cent. higher, about 90 per cent. of these families would have had incomes above their supplementary benefit level.