§ Mr. Austin MitchellTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, further to paragraphs 2.23 and 3.17 of Cmnd. 9756, if he will publish in theOfficial Report details showing how the undertaking to give substantial and well targeted extra help for low income families in work has been implemented; and at what cost to the Exchequer.
Supplementary Benefit Live Load 1E.A.P. 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 Doncaster East E 2,410 3,782 4,640 4,814 5,204 5,285 5,261 4,854 A 1,471 1,713 2,024 2,598 3,000 3,296 3,552 3,726 P 2,724 2,789 2,882 2,857 2,877 2,917 2,993 3,132 Doncaster West E 2,895 4,874 5,808 5,945 6,671 6,711 6,969 6,257 A 1,965 2,268 2,821 3,073 3,922 4,019 4,511 4,731 P 3,511 3,588 3,757 3,615 3,600 3,458 3,651 3,571 Wath-On-Dearne E 1,807 2,806 3,020 3,174 3,479 3,747 3,666 3,194 A 1,232 1,358 1,613 1,957 2,398 2,368 2,554 2,639 P 1,892 1,924 2,005 2,041 2,014 1,958 2,011 2,046 1 E = unemployed claimants. A = Claimants not required to register for work. P= pensioners. Source: 100 per cent. count of cases in action, which include a number of cases where benefit payment has ceased but other action is continuing.
§ Mr. RedmondTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will list for each of the years 1980 to 1988 the number of claimants and the number of dependants and the percentage take-up of family income support for each of the two local offices in Doncaster and the local office in Wath-on-Dearne that covers Mexborough.
§ Mr. Peter LloydI regret that this information is not available on a local basis for either family income supplement (family credit since April 1988) or income support (supplementary benefit prior to April 1988).
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§ Mr. Peter LloydFamily credit was introduced in April 1988 as part of the reform of social security. In 1988/89 it will provide about double previous expenditure on family income supplement and free school meals and free milk. Estimated expenditure for 1988/89 is £422 million and the estimated caseload is 285,000. Average awards are at present around £25 per week. About 60 per cent of present recipients get £20 a week or more and over 35 per cent. get £30 or more. A major advertising campaign will begin in April to encourage claims from those who may not realise that they are eligible. Over and above the prices uprating, the income support and housing benefit applicable amounts for children and the family credit child credit rates have been increased by an additional 50 pence from this April. In the case of family credit, the extra provision is over and above what is required to compensate for the standstill in child benefit. The reformed structure of benefits helps alleviate the unemployment trap by aligning the assessment rules for income-related benefits. Generally, people on the same income levels are now treated equally whether they are fully employed or out or work. Furthermore, under this new system, net income increases when gross earnings increase. This eliminates the possibility that less income-related benefit can mean a lower net income when gross earnings rise.