HC Deb 31 October 1988 vol 139 c491W
Mr. Cousins

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what was the monthly total of claimants of family credit(a) nationally, (b) in each standard region and (c) in each of his Department's office areas, for April and each succeeding month.

Mr. Peter Lloyd

The total number of families in receipt of family credit at the end of each month was as follows:

Number
April 194,000
May 215,000
June 236,000
July 243,000
August 255,000
September 1242,000
1 Distorted by the effects of the postal dispute.

Family credit is dealt with centrally, and information is not available on a regional or office area basis.

Mr. Cousins

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what was the number of claimants estimated to qualify for family credit at the time of the April social security changes; what was the basis for that estimate; and what was the likely distribution of claimants in each standard region on the basis of the estimate.

Mr. Peter Lloyd

It was estimated that 450,000 families would receive family credit. This was based on an assumption that take-up would be 60 per cent. Reliable estimates can be made only on a national basis.

£ million, Great Britain
Housing costs for people on supplementary benefit Rent rebate Rent allowance Certificated Housing benefit Housing benefit to people on income support Housing benefit to people not on income support
1977–78 1,000 470 90
1978–79 980 420 80
1979–80 900 420 70
1980–81 1,000 470 70
1981–82 1,350 670 90
1982–83 1,430 750 90 420
1983–84 1,990
1984–85 2,160
1985–86 2,290
1986–87 2,380
1987–88 2,420
1988–89 2,510 1,130
1989–90 2,580 1,100
1990–91 2,660 1,100

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