§ Mr. Meacherasked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) how many housing benefit recipients receive less than £11 per week for (a) rent and rates and (b) rent only; and what proportion these people are of the total number of housing benefit recipients;
(2) what number and proportion of housing benefit recipients receive below £1, £1–2, £2–3, £3–4, £4–5, £5–6, £6–7, £7–8, £8–9 and £10–11 per week respectively and what are their average earnings.
§ Mr. Whitney[pursuant to his reply, 10 June 1985, c. 366]: The information requested is estimated in the table.
415WThe estimates for standard cases have been based on family expenditure survey data which have been updated and then adjusted to reflect the current global case load and expenditure levels indicated by local authority subsidy
Housing Benefit: Estimates of numbers of recipients by amount of benefit received Great Britain Standard Cases Certificated Cases Number (thousands) Proportion of recipients (per cent.) Average weekly income Number (thousands) Proportion of recipients (per cent.) Amount of benefit Less than £1 260 7 £85 25 1 £l–£2 500 13 £85 95 3 £2–£3 470 12 £75 130 4 £3–£4 390 10 £70 125 4 £4–£5 290 8 £65 110 4 £5–£6 220 6 £65 95 3 £6–£7 160 4 £70 85 3 £7–£8 130 3 £65 65 2 £8–£9 140 4 £65 55 2 £9–£10 110 3 £65 65 2 £10–£11 120 3 £55 65 2 Total under£11 2.8 million 75 — 0.9 million 30 Total under £11 for rent rebates and allowances only 1.7 million 80 — 0.8 million 30 Notes:
1. The estimate for standard cases relates to November 1984 but is based on family expenditure survey data for earlier years: that for certificated cases to December 1984.
2. The figures for average weekly income cover income from all sources including state benefits and savings, as many standard cases are not earners.
3. In all cases the percentages relate to the total number of recipients in that particular category.
4. Individual items do not necessarily add up to totals because of rounding. All figures should be treated as indicative estimates only.