§ Ms. ShortTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what figures or estimates exist for the numbers of claimants receiving unemployment benefit, income support or national insurance credits who will cease to do so as a result of section 6 of the Social Security Act 1988.
§ Mr. Peter LloydThose receiving unemployment benefit on 2 October 1988, when section 6 of the Social Security Act 1988 came into operation, will continue to receive benefit under the old contribution conditions for up to a year under transitional arrangements. People claiming unemployment benefit after October 1988, whose claims do not link with a claim before that date, have to satisfy the new contribution conditions. It is estimated that, in a full year, some 350,000 claimants for unemployment benefit will not satisfy the new contribution conditions. Of these some 300,000 will qualify for income support. All those continuing to sign at the
Table 1-Income Support/Supplementary Benefit Live Loan Activity Work area North East Midlands London North London South Wales and South West North West Scotland National Number of cases as at 30 November 1988 E 230,993 209,517 196,417 160,031 149,341 220,614 178,065 1,344,978 SA less E 211,643 216,232 207,901 179,587 163,741 219,956 164,982 1,364,042 SP 252,296 268,074 255,417 233,625 219,378 230,579 156,843 1,616,212 Number of cases as at 17 November 1987 E 290,108 300,852 285,667 246,429 209,341 279,745 219,598 1,831,740 SA less E 241,193 251,037 237,569 202,024 187,210 235,147 175,882 1,530,062 SP 261,987 274,141 281,179 254,733 223,028 238,186 152,791 1,686,045 Number of cases as at 16 December 1986 E 319,533 334,570 306,470 272,929 235,525 306,720 229,320 2,005,067 SA less E 230,638 242,165 223,136 194,942 180,375 223,054 163,899 1,458,209 SP 257,584 271,854 281,660 254,086 223,109 235,908 147,889 1,672,090 Notes:
1. SP = Supplementary Allowance
2. E = Unemployed.
3. SP = Supplementary Pension.
564W
Table 2-Contributory Benefit Activity Work Area North East Midlands London North London South Wales and South West North West Scotland National Month ended 30 November 1988 STB Load 245,822 194,610 154,692 135,651 239,774 240,805 186,145 1,397,499 MA Load 2,230 3,185 3,971 3,974 2,605 1,961 1,336 19,262 SDA Load 38,388 39,551 32,620 33,680 37,504 36,812 29,166 247,721 RP Load O/S 21,286 23,423 27,787 26,845 25,288 22,095 16,473 163,197 RP Claims O/S 6,374 7,866 5,981 6,293 6,471 6,745 3,743 43,473 4 weeks ended 17 November 1987 STB Load 224,750 175,364 142,085 124,468 224,155 215,794 167,368 1,273,984 MA Load 2,399 3,446 4,801 4,404 2,909 2,337 1,727 22,023 SDA Load 36,861 37,104 31,468 33,034 36,143 35,226 28,625 238,461 RP Load O/S 20,047 22,543 27,625 26,646 24,477 20,185 14,948 156,471 RP Claims O/S 7,945 9,590 7,279 7,944 9,014 7,731 4,655 54,158 4 weeks ended 18 November 1986 STB Load 220,522 176,842 151,790 130,503 220,031 209,181 163,013 1,271,882 MA Load 18,459 22,217 24,921 23,406 17,790 16,937 12,191 135,921 SDA Load 36,688 36,472 31,273 33,246 35,936 34,518 28,352 236,485 RP Load O/S 24,194 26,266 31,124 30,939 30,082 23,900 17,885 184,390 RP Claims O/S 8,602 11,204 8,317 9,462 10,143 8,405 5,478 61,611 unemployment benefit office can receive national insurance credits subject to the usual rules, whether or not they are entitled to benefit.