§ Mr. Fatchettasked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many supplementary benefit claimants in Northern Ireland are currently in board and lodging accommodation, including hostels, common lodging houses, private lodgings and hostels, excluding residential care homes and nursing homes; what are the comparative figures for November 1983; and what were and are the respective average supplementary benefit payments to such claimants.
§ Mr. Chris PattenThe latest available information showing numbers of supplementary benefit claimants in board and lodging accommodation was obtained at the supplementary benefit annual statistical inquiry on 8 December 1982 and is as follows:
Number Average payment £ Claimant in common lodging house 106 26.05 Other boarder 518 32.84 Total 624
§ Mr. Fatchettasked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what is the current overall cost of implementing housing benefits in Northern Ireland; how much of this takes the form of housing benefit payments for each separate category (a) standard, (b) certificate, (c) housing benefit supplement and (d) transitional addition payments; what is the cost to the Department of Health and Social Services, the Northern Ireland Housing Executive and the Department of the Environment in administering the 571W scheme; what is the Government's expenditure on supplementary benefits alone; and how many posts have been reduced in the Department of Health and Social Services, the Department of the Environment and the Northern Ireland Housing Executive as a result of the introduction of the scheme.
§ Mr. Chris PattenIt is estimated that in the current financial year the overall cost of housing benefits in Northern Ireland will be £94,175,000 made up as follows:
Housing benefits Standard cases Certificated cases Total £000s Tenants 22,002 63,109 85,111 Owner-occupiers * * 6,250 91,361 * Information not available.
Total £000s Housing benefit supplement 447 Administration: Department of Health and Social Services 100 Department of the Environment (NI) 367 Northern Ireland Housing Executive 1,900 Grand total 94,175 The amount shown for standard tenant cases includes an estimated £136,000 in respect of transitional protection. Transitional protection is not applicable in the case of owner-occupiers getting rates rebates.
Expenditure on supplementary benefit in the current financial year is estimated as follows:
£000s Supplementary Benefit 280,923 Administration 29,758 Total 310,681 There has been a reduction of 72 posts in the Department of Health and Social Services as a result of the introduction of the housing benefits scheme.