Benefits (Hansard, 3 May 1984)

§ Mr. Kirkwood
asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will list for each of the national insurance benefits (i) the number of claimants (a) denied and (b)

Number of benefit recipients (thousands)

Standard rate 1983

1979 1980 1981 1982 1983 Reduced rate Nil

Short-term benefits

Sickness Benefit 415 370 341 377 NYA ^*7 ^*47

Unemployment Benefit 442 893 1,031 914 834 51 740

Maternity Allowance 98 106 †111 †102 100 8 NA

Long-term benefits

Retirement Pension 8,062 8,162 8,260 8,277 8,285 692 ‡88

Widows Benefit 399 NA 368 360 353 46 NA

Others

Death Grant 593 593 †591 597 NYA ║— ║—

Notes:

^* 1982 figures.

† Estimated figures.

⋆Number of persons receiving supplementary pensions only (December 1982).

║Death grant is payable at a reduced rate or disallowed on grounds of age rather than insufficient contributions.

NYA Not yet available.

NA Not available.

For short-term benefits the numbers are those receiving benefit at a point during the year. For long-term benefits the numbers are the total receiving benefit. For death grant the numbers are the awards made during the year. In all cases the figures exclude cases where benefit was payable at a reduced rate or was disallowed for reasons other than contribution deficiency (for example, for unemployment benefit, where benefit is exhausted).

§ Mr. Meacher
asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what has been the total spend on unemployment benefit and on supplementary benefit for unemployed persons separately and in aggregate for each of the last 15 years.

§ Dr. Boyson
The cost in each year since 1969–70 of unemployment benefit and supplementary benefit paid to unemployed people is as follows:

£million

Year Unemployment benefit Supplementary benefit^* Total

1969–70 127 77 204

1970–71 150 91 241

1971–72 239 149 388

1972–73 209 182 391

1973–74 174 159 333

1974–75 214 219 433

1975–76 454 401 855

1976–77 559 590 1,149

1977–78 629 740 1,369

1978–79 632 705 1,337

1979–80 653 765 1,418

1980–81 1,280 1,185 2,465

1981–82 1,702 2,300 4,002

1982–83 1,500 3,370 4,870

1983–84 1,492 3,605 5,097

^⋆ Prior to the full introduction of the housing benefit scheme in April 1983 supplementary benefit included assistance with rent and rates.

228W
receiving reduced benefit because of incomplete insurance records at the latest available date and (ii) comparable figures for the total number of claimants of each benefit receiving full benefit for each year since 1979.

§ Dr. Boyson
The information which is available, relating to contributory benefits, is as follows:

Number of benefit recipients (thousands)
	Standard rate	1983
	1979	1980	1981	1982	1983	Reduced rate	Nil
Short-term benefits
Sickness Benefit	415	370	341	377	NYA	^*7	^*47
Unemployment Benefit	442	893	1,031	914	834	51	740
Maternity Allowance	98	106	†111	†102	100	8	NA
Long-term benefits
Retirement Pension	8,062	8,162	8,260	8,277	8,285	692	‡88
Widows Benefit	399	NA	368	360	353	46	NA
Others
Death Grant	593	593	†591	597	NYA	║—	║—
Notes:
^* 1982 figures.
† Estimated figures.
⋆Number of persons receiving supplementary pensions only (December 1982).
║Death grant is payable at a reduced rate or disallowed on grounds of age rather than insufficient contributions.
NYA Not yet available.
NA Not available.

£million
Year	Unemployment benefit	Supplementary benefit^*	Total
1969–70	127	77	204
1970–71	150	91	241
1971–72	239	149	388
1972–73	209	182	391
1973–74	174	159	333
1974–75	214	219	433
1975–76	454	401	855
1976–77	559	590	1,149
1977–78	629	740	1,369
1978–79	632	705	1,337
1979–80	653	765	1,418
1980–81	1,280	1,185	2,465
1981–82	1,702	2,300	4,002
1982–83	1,500	3,370	4,870
1983–84	1,492	3,605	5,097
^⋆ Prior to the full introduction of the housing benefit scheme in April 1983 supplementary benefit included assistance with rent and rates.