§ Mr. Andrew Bowdenasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if, in view of the Government's expectation that the major structural reforms set out in the Green Paper, "Reform of Social Security", will be implemented in April 1987, any alteration to the structure of housing benefit provision will be made before this date.
§ Mr. WhitneyI refer my hon. Friend to the statement by my right hon. Friend on Tuesday 18 June at columns 169–172 which contained details of an adjustment to the rates taper above the needs allowance to be implemented this November.
§ Mr. Gordon Brownasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will estimate the numbers of people who will lose housing benefit as a result of the changes announced on 18 June; and how many will be (a) up to £1 a week worse off, (b) up to £2 a week worse off, (c) up to £3 a week worse off and (d) more than £3 a week worse off.
§ Mr. NewtonEstimates of the numbers whose housing benefit will be less than it would otherwise have been because of the proposed increase in the rates taper above the needs allowance this November, offset by the real improvement in the dependants child addition to the needs allowance, are as follows:
Great Britain Number affected (thousands) Under £1 1,720 Between £1–£2 230 Betwen £2–£3 20 Over £3 Less than 5,000 The average effect is estimated to be about 50 pence per week.
At the same time, there will be around one third of a million people whose housing benefit will be higher by up to 40p per child per week than it would otherwise have been, as a result of the real improvement in the dependant child addition to the needs allowance.