HC Deb 16 February 1989 vol 147 cc334-5W
Ms. Short

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many claims for family credit have been made for each month since April 1988; how many claims have been paid during the same periods; and what has been the average income of claimants and the average housing costs showing rent separately, of claimants during this period.

Mr. Peter Lloyd

The number of family credit claims and awards is as follows:

Claims received Awards made
April 96,505 40,213
May 41,721
June 52,293 36,145
July 46,100 37,912
August 46,376 40,249
September 47,759 24,158
October 56,373 44,944
November 57,850 46,234
Claims received Awards made
December 44,834 35,797
January 63,638 42,712

No information is available about the average income or housing costs of claimants.

Mr. Battle

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many children there are in families claiming family credit; and what is the number of children in families entitled to family credit.

Mr. Peter Lloyd

In December 1988, the latest date for which information is available, there were approximately 520,000 children in families receiving family credit. An estimate of the number of children in families eligible for family credit cannot be made until information from the 1988 family expenditure survey is available.