§ Mr. Fatchettasked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many households in Northern Ireland are losing benefits because of (a) the increased tapers for those above the needs allowance, (b) the increases in non-dependant deductions, (c) the higher minimum rebate allowance limit, (d) the higher threshold for high rent schemes, or any combination of these elements and (e) what are the savings for each of these categories; and how many households have lost all entitlement to housing benefit in (i) November 1983, (ii) April 1984 and (iii) 127W November 1984 as a result of the various changes in housing benefits by household type, pensioner, earner and others.
§ Mr. Chris PattenI understand from the chairman of the Northern Ireland Housing Executive that, based on current benefit levels and the numbers receiving benefit at the end of March 1984, it is estimated that the proposed November 1984 changes will affect public and private sector tenants getting housing benefit as follows:
Estimated numbers Estimated savings 1984–85 £ million (a) Increased tapers 19,900 0.42 (b) Increased non-dependant deductions* 22,200 0.84 (c) Higher minimum payments 4,100 0.02 (d) Higher threshold for high rent schemes nil nil * Excluding those for 16–17 year olds as the numbers involved are not known. Corresponding figures are not available for owner-occupier beneficiaries. Information is not available either about the number of households which lost all entitlement to help with housing benefit as a result of the reform of the housing benefit scheme in November 1983 nor the numbers who will cease to receive benefit from November 1984.
The changes in April 1984 affecting certain householders with non-dependants resulted only in increases in housing benefit.
§ Mr. Fatchettasked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what will be the savings to public expenditure in Northern Ireland in 1984–85 and 1985–86 of the changes in deductions from (i) housing benefit and (ii) supplementary benefit; and what part of these savings will be attributable to (a) the presence of a 16 to 17-year-old, (b) the presence of an 18 to 20-year-old and (c) the presence of someone aged between 21 years and pension age.
Estimated numbers Weekly loss Public sector Private sector Total £ Pensioner Non-pensioner Pensioner Non-pensioner 0.01–0.50 2,000 2,500 600 300 5,400 0.51–1.00 1,600 2,100 300 100 4,100 1.01–1.50 1,200 2,100 200 100 3,600 1.51–2.00 1,600 3,200 200 100 5,100 2.01 or more 700 4,800 100 200 5,800 Totals 7,100 14,700 1,400 800 24,000 Derived from a 25 per cent, sample. The figures do not include the effect of changes in deductions for 16 and 17-year-old non-dependants as the numbers involved are not known.
§ Mr. Fatchettasked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what is (a) the total cost, (b) the cost of administration and (c) the number of recipients of (i) supplementary benefit, (ii) housing benefit, rent rebate,
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§ Mr. Chris PattenInformation is not available in the form requested. However, in general terms increased expenditure on housing assistance arising from changes in some non-dependant deductions from April 1984 will be more than offset by savings resulting from proposed increases in deductions and other changes due to take effect from November 1984. Based on a sample of cases the Northern Ireland Housing Executive has estimated that, as a result of proposed changes from November 1984 in the non-dependant deductions for 18 to 20-year-olds and persons aged 21 to 59/64 years, there will be savings of £0.84 million and £2.3 million in 1984–85 and 1985–86 respectively in housing benefit payable to tenants. Corresponding figures are not available in respect of 16 to 17-year-olds.
§ Mr. Fatchettasked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what is the breakdown of losses to claimants in Northern Ireland which will arise from the November 1984 changes in housing benefits for the total number of households suffering financial loss and a breakdown of these by (i) tenure groups, public sector, private sector and owner occupiers, (ii) household type, pensioners, families with children and others, (iii) income brackets or by distance from the needs allowance and (iv) the amount of benefit which will be lost each week per household, showing the number of households losing up to 75p per week, between 75p and £1 per week, between £1 and £1.50 per week, between £1.50 and £2 per week, and more than £2 per week.
§ Mr. Chris PattenInformation is available only, and in a modified form, for tenants receiving standard housing benefit. I understand from the chairman of the Northern Ireland Housing Executive that, at current benefit levels and based on the numbers getting benefit at the end of March 1984, the breakdown of losses to such claimants arising from the proposed changes in November 1984 has been estimated as follows:
rent allowance and rate rebates and (iii) family income supplement, for the last five years for which records have been kept; and what are the estimates for 1984–85 and 1985–86 in Northern Ireland.
§ Mr. Chris PattenThe information available recorded in the following tables.
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Supplementary Benefit 1979–80 1980–81 1981–82 1982–83 1983–84 *1984–85 *1985–86 a. Total benefit cost (£ thousands) 93,096 124,535 179,067 244,227 279,513 280,923 294,969 b. Cost of administration (£ thousands) 14,814 17,191 21,463 26,234 27,942 29,758 31,692 c. Number of recipients (thousands) 115 129 150 165 175 193 198 * Estimated.
Family Income Supplement 1979–80 1980–81 1981–82 1982–83 1983–84 *1984–85 *1985–86 a. Total benefit cost (£ thousands) 3,596 5,118 7,042 9,423 10,407 14,500 18,300 b. Cost of administration (£ thousands) 327 381 472 439 467 497 529 c. Number of recipients (thousands) 8.0 8.5 11.0 13.0 14.0 18.5 18.5 * Estimated.
Housing Benefits 1979–80 1980–81 1981–82 1982–83 1 April 1983 to 20 November 1983 21 November 1983 to 31 March 1983* *1984–85 *1985–86 Rent Rebates (a) Benefit cost (£'000s) 3,314 5,233 10,414 14,758 10,129 21,313 Not available (b) Number of recipients (thousands) 21 22.8 28.5 40.9 41.2 116.2 117.9 120.3 Rent Allowances (a) Benefit cost (£'000s) 241 334 532 765 602 1,997 Not available (b) Number of recipients (thousands) 1.6 2.0 2.4 2.7 2.8 18.4 18.5 18.7 Rate Rebates (a) Benefit cost (£'000s) 1,728 2,248 3,759 4,910 11,745 Not available (b) Number of recipients (thousands) 34.8 39.1 60.4 65.5 67.1 183.0 185.4 188.0 Cost of administration† (£'000s) (a) Northern Ireland Housing Executive (NIHE) — — — — — 1,200 1,900 2,000 (b) Department of the Environment — — — — — 507 367 385 (c) Department of Health and Social Services — — — — — 100 100 100 * Estimated. † Administrative costs for 1983–84 onwards are estimated, the figure for 1983–84 includes provision for certain non-recurring start-up costs associated with the introduction of the reformed change. Administrative costs of the "old" schemes were included in the overall running costs of the organisations concerned and were not separately recorded.
§ Mr. Fatchettasked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will estimate how many pensioners in Northern Ireland will lose (a) up to £1, (b) £1 to £2, (c) £2 to £3, (d) £3 to £4, (e)£4 to £5, (f)£5 to £6 and (g) over £6 from their housing benefit as a consequence of the proposed changes to housing benefits in November 1984; and how many wage earners will lose similar amounts as a consequence of the proposed changes.
§ Mr. Chris PattenInformation is available only in relation to tenants of pensionable age receiving standard housing benefit. The effects, based on current benefit levels and the number of standard tenant beneficiaries at the end of March 1984, have been estimated as follows:130W
Estimated weekly reduction Numbers £0.01–£1.00 4,500 £1.01–£2.00 3,200 £2.01–£3.00 800 £3.01 and over 100 Total 8,600
§ Mr. Fatchettasked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what was the total expenditure on housing benefits in Northern Ireland showing the division between (a) rate rebates, (b) rent rebates and (c) rent allowances, for 1982–83; and what are the estimates for 1983–84, 1984–85 and 1985–86.
§ Mr. Chris PattenThe following is the information: 131W
Rate rebates Rent rebates Rent allowances Total £'000 £'000 £'000 £'000 1982–83 (actual) 4,910 14,758 765 20,433 1983–84 (estimated) 11,745 31,442 2,599 45,786 Estimates for 1984–85 and 1985–86, taking account of proposed changes in the scheme from November 1984, are not available.
§ Mr. Fatchettasked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what is the total number of housing benefit cases on which a review has been requested; how many of these have been referred to a review board; in how many a final decision has been reached; and in how many cases the Northern Ireland Housing Executive has exercised its discretion to authorise a housing benefit payment within 14 days while not being able to make a proper formal determination.
§ Mr. Chris PattenSince the reform of the housing benefit scheme on 21 November 1983, 162 requests for review by officials have been received by the Department of the Environment. Corresponding figures are not recorded by the Northern Ireland Housing Executive but I understand from the chairman of the Executive that a total of nine cases have been referred to review boards for further review and that final decisions have been reached in seven of these.
The number of interim payments of rent allowance made pending a formal determination is not available but I have been informed that roughly 95 per cent. of all claims for rent allowance are processed within 14 days by the Housing Executive.
§ Mr. Fatchettasked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many people in Northern Ireland were receiving rent allowance, rent rebates, rate rebates and full payment of rent by supplementary benefits, before the introduction of the housing benefit scheme.
§ Mr. Chris PattenPrecise figures are not available but the estimated numbers of people in Northern Ireland receiving assistance with their rent and rates prior to the reform of the housing benefit scheme on 21 November' 1983 were as follows:
Numbers Rent allowances 2,800 Rent rebates 41,200 Rate rebates 67,000 Supplementary benefit 116,000
§ Mr. Fatchettasked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many (a) families in work and (b) all other categories, excluding pensioner households have suffered a reduction in housing benefit in Northern Ireland as a consequence of the scheme; and what impact the further changes proposed for November 1984 will have on these totals.
§ Mr. Chris PattenPrecise information is not available about the number of non-pensioner householders who gained or lost as a result of the reform of housing benefits in Northern Ireland. However, it has been estimated that approximately 18,000 claimants with children gained and that just under 10,000 with incomes above the needs132W allowance lost as a consequence of changes in the taper percentages and a special increase in the child's needs allowance.
It is not possible to be precise about the impact of the proposed changes in November 1984 on those figures but, in general terms, beneficiaries whose incomes are above the needs allowance, who have non-dependants or whose standard benefit is below the proposed new minima will receive less assistance with their housing costs.
§ Mr. Fatchettasked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many pensioners in Northern Ireland ale in receipt of housing benefit by each category (a) certificate, (b) standard, (c) housing benefit supplement and (d) transitional addition payments; how many pensioners by each category of housing benefit have gained or lost as a consequence of the scheme; and by how much for each category.
§ Mr. Chris PattenPrecise information is not readily available but the estimated numbers of pensioners receiving benefit are as follows:
- (a) certificated cases 45,000
- (b)standard cases 32,200
The total number of beneficiaries receiving housing benefit supplement on 29 March 1984 was roughly 2,800, the majority of whom were thought to be pensioners. At the same date, transitional addition payments were being made to over 7,800 tenants, roughly half of whom were estimated to be pensioners.
Because of the interaction of changes it is not possible to calculate the number of pensioners in each category who gained or lost overall as a consequence of the reform. However, it is estimated that 14,100 gained and 11,150 lost as a result of the taper changes and the special increase in the pensioner's needs allowance.