§ Mr. Andrew Bowdenasked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many pensioner households (a) in total and (b) by tenure will cease to qualify for any housing benefit as a result of each of the following changes to the housing benefit scheme outlined in the White Paper, "Reform of Social Security", Cmnd 9691: (i) the changes to the needs allowance and taper formulae, and in the assessment of income, (ii) the treatment of capital and (iii) the suggested 20 per cent. contribution to rates.
§ Mr. NewtonUsing the illustrative assumptions in the technical annex to the White Paper (Cmnd 9691), the estimated numbers of pensioners who would cease to qualify for housing benefit is shown in the table. As explained in paragraph 2.12 of the technical annex, estimates of capital holdings are highly uncertain: it is not therefore possible to provide a precise analysis of the effects of the structural change to the capital rule, and they are not included in the following estimates.
Effect of Structural Reform of Housing Benefit Numbers ceasing to be entitled to housing benefit Without 20 per cent. rates contribution Thousands, With 20 per cent. rates contribution Great Britain Pensioner households Local authority tenants 50 90 Owner-occupiers 60 180 Others 20 40 Total 140 310 Notes:
1. The estimates exclude the effects of the family credit proposals.
2. The estimates are not adjusted for differential take-up.
3. Some totals may not be equal to the sum of the component parts because of rounding.