§ Sir Brandon Rhys Williamsasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will update the figures given in his reply to the hon. Member for Norfolk, North (Mr. Howell) Official Report, column 541, 2 February, showing the number of recipients of housing benefits since 1979–80; and if he will estimate the effect on the number of people in receipt of means-tested benefit of the proposed community charge, assuming that rate rebates are replaced by community charge rebates.
§ Mr. PortilloThe numbers of recipients of housing benefits since 1979–80, according to the latest available information, are as follows:
Average number of recipients (Great Britain) Thousands Year Rent rebates Rent allowances Rate rebates2 1979–80 1,205 220 3,065 1980–81 1,330 240 3,350 1981–82 1,590 250 3,700 1982–831 3,050 260 5,320 1983–84 3,735 1,015 7,020 1984–85 3,745 1,080 7,220 1985–86 3,795 1,175 7,270 1986–873 3,745 1,190 7,120 1987–883 3,710 1,200 7,135 1 Figures for 1982–83 include those local authority tenants receiving housing assistance in supplementary benefit who in November 1982 were included in the partial start of the housing benefits scheme. 2 Most recipients of rent rebates allowances also receive rate rebates. Rate rebate recipients include owner occupiers. 3 Estimates for 1986–87 and 1987–88 are provisional and are subject to revision. Estimates for earlier years may be subject to minor revision. The only estimates currently available on the number of people who would be eligible for a community charge rebate are in the Green paper "Paying for Local Rates" (Cmnd. 9714). Annex J of the paper estimates the number at 7,660,000 and sets out the assumptions on which this is based.