Social Security Expenditure (Hansard, 24 November 1986)

§ Mr. Meacher

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will give a table setting out social security expenditure (a) in cash terms, (b) as a percentage of total public expenditure, (c) as a percentage of gross domestic product, (d) showing the real-terms percentage increase on the previous year and (e) the percentage of the real-terms increase spent on (i) increased numbers of claimants,

Social Security Programme, 1979–80 to 1986–87
	1979–80	1980–81	1981–82	1982–83	1983–84	1984–85	1985–86	1986–87
1. Public expenditure on social security benefits (cash £ million)	18,580	22,410	27,310	31,070	33,610	36,410	39,650	42,490
2. 1 as a percentage of total public expenditure	24.0	24.2	26.3	27.4	27.9	28.0	29.7	30.3
3. 1 as a percentage of gross domestic product	9.0	9.5	10.5	11.0	11.0	11.1	11.0	11.2
4. Real terms percentage increase of benefit expenditure over previous year		1.6	10.8	6.3	3.5	3.9	2.7	4.1
5. Percentage of the real terms increase due to
(i) increased numbers		¹	55	25	35	55	25	40
(ii) real terms increases in amounts of benefit paid			45	75	65	45	75	60
¹ Between 1979–80 and 1980–81, there was a real decrease in the average amount of benefit paid, offset by an increase in the number of beneficiaries.

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(ii) real-terms increase in benefit levels and (iii) new benefits or extension of eligibility for each year from 1979–80 to 1986–87, including the autumn statement projections.