§ Sir Brandon Rhys Williamsasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is his latest estimate of the numbers of (a) claimants and (b) all beneficiaries of means-tested benefits other than housing benefits.
§ Mr. LyellThe latest readily available estimates are given in the table:
Claimants and beneficiaries of income-related benefits1 Great Britain2—Thousands 3Claims Recipients Supplementary Benefit4 5 6 75,880 84,910 Family Income Supplement 5390 9200 Free Welfare Foods 5 10210 11980 Free School Meals n.a. 121,380 NHS Exemptions Prescription Charges n.a. 5 13 14 39,000 Dental Charge 5 10 15660 13 17 193,000 Optical Charges 16 18 191,380 Notes to Table:
"n.a." not available.
1 Excluding certificated and standard housing benefit.
2 Unless otherwise stated.
3 Including unsuccessful claims.
4 Including housing benefit supplement.
5 Year ending March 1986.
6 Provisional.
7 Strictly these represent decisions reached rather than claims received.
8 February 1986.
9 May 1986.
10 Low income grounds only (excluding supplementary benefit and FIS). Also see Note 6.
11 December 1984.
12 October 1984.
13 Excludes cases exempt from charges on grounds other than low income (eg children under 16, women aged 60 and over, men aged 65 and over).
14 Estimate of the number of such prescriptions in the year not the number of recipients.
15 Includes claims for exemptions from NHS charges for wigs and 230W appliances and refunds of charges already paid.
16 England and Wales only.
17 March 1986.
18 Year ending June 1986.
19 Includes cases where a partial charge was paid.
§ Mr. Alfred Morrisasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what was the level of spending on social security benefits for sick and disabled people in each of the years 1978–79 and 1986–87; how this expenditure breaks down between the different social security benefits for sick and disabled people; what was the average annual increase in expenditure for the period 1979–80 to 1986–87 inclusive in real terms; how much of that increase in real terms was attributable to (a) increases in the real value of the social security benefits concerned and (b) increases in the number of people claiming each of the benefits; and what was the average annual increase in such expenditure in real terms for the period 1974–75 to 1978–79 inclusive.
§ Mr. MajorOver the period 1979–80 to 1986–87, real expenditure on social security benefits for sick and disabled people increased by an average of £230 million a year (at 1986–87 prices): roughly 70 per cent. of the increase was due to increases in the number of recipients and the remainder to increases in the average amount paid. The average annual real increase over the period 1974–75 to 1978–79 was £195 million (at 1986–87 prices). A breakdown of total expenditure among individual benefits is given in the table.
Expenditure on social security benefits paid to sick and disabled people in 1978–79 and 1986–87, by benefit—Great Britain £ million (cash) 1978–79 1986–87 Sickness benefit 700 160 Invalidity benefit 840 2,610 Industrial disablement benefit 220 430 Attendance allowance 170 780 Invalid care allowance 5 190 NCIP/Severe disablement allowance2 70 260 Mobility allowance 50 510 War disablement pension 220 380 Supplementary benefit 170 460 Housing benefit 50 470 Christmas Bonus 10 20 Other industrial injuries benefits 5 5 Total 2,500 6,260 1 Estimated outturn. 2 Non-contributory invalidity pension was replaced by severe disablement allowance in November 1984.