§ Mrs. BeckettTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will estimate the number of households receiving(a) certificated and (b) standard housing benefit containing non-dependants in respect of whom deductions from housing benefit are made; and if he will estimate the proportion, in each case, who are subject to either the higher or lower rate of non-dependant deduction at the latest available date.
§ Mr. Portillo[holding answer 3 December 1987]: The estimated number of housing benefit recipients in Great Britain for which a deduction was made in respect of one or more non-dependants in autumn 1986 was as follows:
Thousands Certificated cases 340 Standard cases 370 TOTAL 710 The number of non-dependants in each category in certificated housing benefit households was as follows:
Thousands Higher rate deduction 210 Lower rate deduction 160 TOTAL 370 This total is higher than the corresponding figure quoted above because there is on average more than one non-dependant per household.
Information on the number of non-dependants in each category in households receiving standard housing benefit is not available.