§ Mr. AshleyTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Services, in the last year for which figures are available, how many people have been disqualified from receiving social security benefit because they(a) left their jobs voluntarily or (b) lost their jobs through misconduct; how many of these people appealed against the decision; and how many of the appeals were successful.
§ Mr. PortilloThe information requested is as follows:
Disqualifictions for unemployment benefit on account of leaving a job voluntarily or being dismissed for misconduct—1987 Leaving voluntarily Misconduct Disqualifications for unemployment benefit 324,253 97,222 Referrals/Appeals for social security appeal tribunals1 11,683 4,353 Referrals/Appeals found in claimant's favour 2,051 1,106 1 Includes 1,571 cases of voluntarily leaving and 929 misconduct cases carried forward from the previous year. At the end of the year 1979 voluntarily leaving and 790 misconduct cases were outstanding.
§ Mr. AshleyTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Services, in the last 25 years, what changes have been made to the maximum period of time for which claimants can be disqualified from receiving social security benefit because of leaving a job voluntarily or because of dismissal resulting from misconduct; what is the current period; and what would be the consequent loss of benefit suffered by(a) a single person, (b) a married person, (c) a man with wife and two children and (d) a man with wife and four children.
§ Mr. PortilloDisqualification for unemployment benefit because of leaving a job voluntarily or because of dismissal resulting from misconduct has been a feature of the unemployment insurance scheme since 1911. Before October 1986 the maximum period of disqualification was six weeks. It was increased to a maximum of 13 weeks with effect from 5 October 1986 and to its present maximum level of 26 weeks with effect from 11 April 1988.
The weekly loss of unemployment benefit to a person disqualified in these circumstances amounts to £32.75 for a single person and to £52.95 for a claimant who is also entitled to receive an increase for an adult dependant. There are no additions for dependent children unless, exceptionally, a claimant is over state pension age.
If a person who is disqualified for unemployment benefit claims income support, that is paid at a reduced rate for the period of disqualification. The reduction amounts normally to 40 per cent. of the claimant's personal rate of benefit, but is modified to 20 per cent. if any member of the family is pregnant or seriously ill and the family has less than £200 capital. No reduction is applied to benefit payable in respect of any dependants. 633W The weekly rates of deduction applied to the claimant's personal allowance with effect from 11 April 1988 are shown in the table:
Category of claimant Lower 20 per cent. rate of deduction Higher 40 per cent. rate of deduction £ £ Aged 16 or 17 3.90 7.75 Aged 18–24 5.20 10.40 Aged 25 or over 6.70 13.35 Person in a hostel or board and lodging accommodation 2.05 4.10