HC Deb 10 January 1989 vol 144 cc568-70W
Mr. Squire

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, what is the cost in 1988–89 and 1989–90 of a 50p increase in child benefit assuming(a) corresponding increases in income support rates (b) corresponding increases in family credit rates (c) no corresponding increases in income support rates and (d) no corresponding increases in family credit.

Mr. Peter Lloyd

[holding answer 21 December 1988]: In income support the amount provided for each child is reflected in full in the personal allowance, and child benefit is taken fully into account as income. So increasing both child benefit and the income support personal allowance by 50p would give an overall increase of 50p per child. In family credit, child benefit is not taken into account, and the support for each child is the total of child benefit and the family credit child rate, so an increase of 50p in child benefit and in the family credit child credit rates would give an overall increase of £1 per child.

The estimated net benefit cost in 1988–89 and in 1989–90 of a 50p increase in child benefit, assuming: (a) a corresponding increase in the Income Support child rates and no change in Family Credit child rates, would be around £300 million in each year; (b) a corresponding increase in the Income Support child rates and Family Credit child credit rates, would be around £330 million in each year;

Disallowances of unemployment-related benefits made by Department of Employment adjudication officers
Number of disallowances—availability and restricted availability Total number of disallowances Disallowances under availability and restricted availability as percentage of total
1980 52,426 949,477 6
1981 49,446 892,198 6
1982 62,015 943,553 7
1983 57,237 977,978 6
1984 49,043 962,323 5
1985 53,680 999,441 5
1986 68,773 1,081,394 6
1987 101,774 1,078,819 9
1988 48,290 480,723 10

Note: Figures for 1988 are for the period 1 January 1988–30 June 1988 inclusive.

Mr. Cousins

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will list all the grounds of refusal of unemployment-related benefits in a manner consistent

Disallowance of unemployment-related benefits made by Department of Employment adjudication officers
1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 19881
Normal idle day/Full extent normal 781 1,183 1,914 1,912 1,962 1,773 1,862 1,731 631
Leaving employment voluntarily 350,303 245,779 255,822 261,284 281,237 298,208 314,229 328,424 140,368
Misconduct 134,870 103,172 96,318 94,696 93,847 98,738 99,502 98,004 45,769
Payment in lieu of notice or remuneration 181,578 242,975 232,436 232,355 194,643 196,394 215,831 179,436 84,102
Delayed claim 83,781 81,289 94,754 104,478 109,378 125,241 152,212 161,001 73,079
Whether unemployed 25,277 31,205 39,983 47,596 53,639 56,872 63,719 59,167 25,707
Dependency 12,880 12,488 11,157 9,411 6,186 5,570 4,326 3,333 1,206
Availability 40,835 39,642 52,725 50,243 43,465 48,020 61,402 85,319 38,141
Engaged in employment 27,751 43,034 65,350 96,760 84,371 71,676 59,361 37,562 12,699
Restricted availability 11,591 9,804 9,290 6,994 5,578 5,660 7,371 16,455 10,149
Refusal of suitable employment 8,963 4,779 2,652 1,883 1,965 2,296 3,187 4,321 2,938
Premature termination of training 447 366 1,274 1,249 9,257 7,008 6,322 6,496 2,822
Recognised or customary holiday 2,431 3,218 4,090 5,725 6,976 7,254 7,676 7,944 3,606
Seasonal worker 3,410 3,274 3,995 5,015 5,781 6,185 6,658 5,723 1,456
Earnings-related supplement 940 1,141 22 — — — — — —
Other 63,639 68,849 73,015 59,626 73,295 75,556 83,502 83,903 38,050
Totals 949,477 892,198 943,553 977,978 962,323 999,441 1,081,394 1,078,819 480,723
1 Figures for 1988 are for the period 1 January 1988 to 30 June 1988 inclusive.

Mr. Cousins

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what was the number of claimants of unemployment benefit in each year since 1980 who were claimants for a second or subsequent period of unemployment benefit; and if he will express this figure as a percentage of the total number of successful claimants of unemployment benefit in each year.

Mr. Peter Lloyd

I regret that information is not available in the form requested.

(c) a corresponding increase in the Family Credit child credit rates and no change in Income Support rates, would be around £280 million in each year; (d) no change in Income Support or Family Credit child credit rates, would be around £250 million in each year.