Widows' Allowance

HC Deb 17 February 1986 vol 92 c59W

Mr. Skinner

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many widows received widows' allowance in 1984 and 1985; and what was the total amount of widow's allowance paid out by his Department in each year.

Mr. Major

The available information is as follows:

	Number of awards of widow's allowance	Total benefit cost†
		£ million
Year ending 30 September
1983*	60,690	—
Financial year
1984–85		87
1985–86 (latest estimate)		86

^* Latest information available.

^† Includes child dependency additions payable with widow's allowance.