§ Mr. Frank FieldTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many claimants aged under 18 years are claiming income support in their own right; and if he will give details of each month's figures since the 1988 changes in entitlement.
§ Mrs. Gillian ShephardAs indicated in my reply to the hon. Member for Birmingham., Ladywood (Ms. Short) on 26 October 1989 at col.539–40 the total number of 16 and 17-year-olds claiming in their own right ceased to be collected after October 1988 and could now be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
834WMonthly figures are available on the number of awards of income support under the severe hardship provision. These are shown in table A.
Our monitoring of the changes introduced in July 1989 gives monthly figures on the number of awards of income support to 16 and 17-year-olds other than under the severe hardship provisions. These are shown in table B.
Table A Period ending Awards made 30 September 1988 234 28 October 1988 311 25 November 1988 435 30 December 1988 647 27 January 1989 705 24 February 1989 760 31 March 1989 1,012 28 April 1989 799 26 May 1989 952 30 June 1989 1,133 28 July 1989 1,173 25 August 1989 1,250 29 September 1989 1,291 27 October 1989 795 24 November 1989 791 29 December 1989 895 26 January 1990 1,437 23 February 1990 1,386 Totals 16,206
Table B Month Ending Awards made 31 July 1989 645 31 August 1989 1,012 30 September 1989 1,008 31 October 1989 910 30 November 1989 753 31 December 1989 566 31 January 1990 868