HC Deb 03 July 1989 vol 156 cc44-5W
Mr. Andrew Bowden

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will estimate the projected increase in cost of income support for elderly people in private residential and nursing home accommodation in the next five years.

Mr. Peter Lloyd

The information requested is not available, but forecasts of public expenditure on income support as a whole are contained in the public expenditure White Paper.

Mr. Andrew Bowden

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what was the total amount paid in income support to elderly people in private residential and nursing home accommodation for each of the last five years.

Mr. Peter Lloyd

The table shows estimated expenditure on payments of supplementary benefit income support to elderly people in private and voluntary residential care and housing homes; information for private homes only is not available. Before December 1985 such data were not collected.

Date Annual equivalent expenditure
£ million
December 1985 280
May 1986 360
May 1987 530
May 1988 680

Source: December 1985, May 1986, May 1987 and May 1988 Quarterly Statistical Enquiries.

Note:

The amounts for 1985–7 relate to supplementary pensions, and that for 1988 to payments of income support to people aged 60 or more.