HC Deb 18 April 1988 vol 131 cc338-40W
Mr. Gordon Brown

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services how many people will receive reduced housing benefit or no housing benefit as a result of the changes in social security on 11 April because of (a) the rise in the rent taper from 60 to 65 per cent, (b) the 20 per cent. contribution to rates, (c) the £6,000 capital rule, (d) the changes to non-dependant deductions and (e) other changes, broken down into (i) two-parent families with children, (ii) one-parent families with children, (iii) pensioners, (iv) young single people under 25 years and (iv) others;

Mr. Spearing

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) what are his latest estimates of the number of households and global sums concerned in the recent changes in social security benefit in respect of(a) the number of households who will be required to pay an additional contribution to rates, (b) the median sum concerned and (c) the global additional national sum for which affected householders will be now liable;

(2) if he will state in respect of the recent and immediately forthcoming changes in social security benefits (a) the number of households who, other than any increased contributions to the rates, will be disadvantaged, (b) the median sum per household and (c) the total national global reduction for those concerned in (a) above.

Mr. Portillo

Answers to these questions in the form requested could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Mr. Pike

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will indicate the latest number of losers as a result of changes in housing benefit in each local authority area in England.

Mr. Portillo

I regret that the information is not available.

Mr. Fearn

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will break down the £650 million to be saved on housing benefit into claimant categories of (i) families with children, (ii) pensioners, (iii) young single people under 25 years and (iv) others; and what proportion of the savings is due to the 20 per cent. contribution to rates in each case.

Mr. Portillo

We estimate that the requirement for ratepayers to pay a minimum of 20 per cent. of domestic rates saves some two thirds of the total housing benefit saving of £650 million. It is not possible to break these figures down by claimant categories.

Mr. John Marshall

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what would be the cost of raising the level of savings under which housing benefit is payable to £10,000 on the assumption that(a) the rules for other benefits are unaltered, (b) the interest actually received on savings and not an arbitrarily assumed return is used in assessing benefit and (c) no change is made to the rule that those with savings of under £3,000 receive benefit in full.

Mr. Portillo

Of the order of £60 million.

Mr. John Marshall

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services how many of those receiving housing benefit in each of the last three years had(a) no savings, (b) savings of under £3,000, (c) savings of £3,000 and under £6,000, (d) savings of £6,000 and under £10,000 and (e) savings of over £10,000.

Mr. Portillo

I regret that we hold no data on the capital holdings of those who have received housing benefit over the last three years. Government estimates of the effects of the new capital rule are based on extrapolations from the family expenditure survey.