HC Deb 06 March 1989 vol 148 c453W
Mr. Darling

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will indicate the number of claimants and the number of dependants and the percentage take-up of family income supplement for the years April 1980 to April 1989.

Mr. Peter Lloyd

The information about awards of family income supplement current on each of the dates shown is as follows:

Claimants (Thousands) Partners (Thousands) Dependent children (Thousands)
April 1980 88 38 191
April 1981 106 52 227
April 1982 142 77 306
April 1983 189 110 402
April 1984 204 123 431
April 1985 203 120 423
April 1986 209 123 432
April 1987 220 128 457

Family income supplement was replaced by family credit on 11 April 1988. Immediately prior to the changeover 216,000 awards of family income supplement were current, but information about the numbers of dependants is not available.

The available information about estimated take-up is as follows:

By caseload By expenditure
Per cent. Per cent.
1981–82 48 53
1983–84 54 65

More up-to-date information is not yet available.