Housing Benefit (Hansard, 28 February 1989)

§ Mr. Nigel Griffiths

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) how many people would gain and what would be the average gain as a result 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

Old benefit system at hypothetical rates April 1988
South Tyneside LA
Married couple with 2 children aged 4 and 6
Earnings head	Tax	NI	FIS	Child benefit	Rent	Rent rebate	Rates	Rate rebate	Fares to work	Free school meals	Free welfare milk	Net inc. after housing costs
60.00	0.00	3.00	28.70	14.50	17.32	15.80	8.08	5.64	5.85	2.55	1.83	94.77
70.00	0.00	4.90	23.70	14.50	17.32	14.55	8.08	5.24	5.85	2.55	1.83	96.22
80.00	1.22	5.60	18.70	14.50	17.32	13.30	8.08	4.84	5.85	2.55	1.83	97.65
90.00	3.92	6.30	13.70	14.50	17.32	12.05	8.08	4.44	5.85	2.55	1.83	97.60
100.00	6.62	7.00	8.70	14.50	17.32	10.80	8.08	4.04	5.95	2.55	1.83	97.55
110.00	9.32	9.90	3.70	14.50	17.32	9.29	8.08	3.48	5.85	2.55	1.83	94.88
120.00	12.02	10.80	0.00	14.50	17.32	7.21	8.08	2.66	5.85	2.55	0.00	92.85
130.00	14.72	11.70	0.00	14.50	17.32	3.91	8.08	1.36	5.85	2.55	0.00	94.65
140.00	17.42	12.60	0.00	14.50	17.32	0.61	8.08	0.00	5.85	2.55	0.00	96.39
150.00	20.12	13.50	0.00	14.50	17.32	0.00	8.08	0.00	5.85	0.00	0.00	99.63
160.00	22.82	14.40	0.00	14.50	17.32	0.00	8.08	0.00	5.85	0.00	0.00	106.03
170.00	25.52	15.30	0.00	14.50	17.32	0.00	8.08	0.00	5.85	0.00	0.00	112.43

156W

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;

(2) what would be the cost of raising the level of savings under which housing benefit is payable to £10,000 (a) in 1989–90 and (b) in a full year on the assumption that (i) the rules for other benefits are unaltered, (ii) the interest actually received on savings and not an arbitrarily assumed return is used in assessing benefit and (iii) no change is made to the rule that those with savings of under £3,000 receive benefit in full.