HC Deb 09 November 1988 vol 140 c222W
Mr. Gordon Brown

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if the amount included in the income support personal allowances for compensating for 20 per cent. community charge contribution is based on the average liability for income support claimants; and how this amount differs from the average community charge as a whole.

Mr. Peter Lloyd

We are satisfied that the amounts included in the 1989–90 income support rates as compensation for 20 per cent. of the community charge are adequate to meet the average liability faced by single claimants under 25, and by couples. For single claimants over 25 compensation is more than adequate. These amounts are likely to be somewhat higher than the average community charge faced by the population as a whole.