§ Sir Brandon Rhys Williamsasked the Secretary of State for Social Services, pursuant to the reply to the lion. Member for Kensington on 9 June, Official Report, column 85, if he will publish the new estimates of unclaimed housing benefit, supplementary benefit, family income supplement and one-parent benefit as soon as they become available.
§ Sir Brandon Rhys Williamsasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will give his latest estimate of the number of children living in families dependent on means-tested benefits; and how he expects these figures to be affected by the introduction of family credit, income support and the proposed housing benefit changes.
§ Mr. NewtonThe latest estimate, using data from the Family Expenditure Survey for 1984, is that the number of children living in families in receipt of means-tested benefits is approximately 3.25 million
On the basis of the illustrative assumptions set out in the technical annex accompanying Comn 9691, and assuming a minimum 20 per cent. rates contribution, there would be a net increase in the number of children in families on income related benefits of just over 150,000. The principal factor in this is the substantial increase in the 619W number of low-paid working families who would be entitled to family credit, but would not at present be entitled to family income supplement.