HC Deb 20 March 1990 vol 169 cc593-4W
Mr. Maxton

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many people in Scotland who are eligible for a rebate of the community charge will not receive the rebate because it falls under the minimum amount payable; and what is the total sum involved in 1989–90.

Mrs. Gillian Shephard

It is estimated that 23,000 additional benefit units (approximately 32,000 individuals) might receive community charge rebate in Scotland in 1989–90 if there was no minimum amount payable, at a total cost approaching £450,000.

Mr. Maxton

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is(a) the amount and (b) the proportion of net incomes after rebates, adjusted for family size, which households paid in domestic rates in 1987–88; and what estimates he has made of what these figures would be if the community charge were in operation in 1987–88, broken down into decile groups.

Mrs. Gillian Shephard

Figures are not available for Scotland alone. The information for 1987–88, on a Great Britain basis, is set out in the table. The figures requested by the hon. Member for the community charge are not available.

Average weekly equivalised household rates by decile of equivalised household income 1987
Decile Average household rates Percentage of net income paid in rates
Lowest 3.30 8.2
2 4.20 7.9
3 4.90 7.9
4 4.80 6.8
5 3.30 5.3
6 4.30 4.6
7 4.50 4.1
8 4.70 3.7
9 5.20 3.3
Highest 6.90 2.5
Total 4.70 4.4

Notes:

1. Household income is defined as income from all sources less income tax and national insurance contributions.

2. Values are of equivalised household rates, ie adjusted for household size and composition, and scaled so that the rates for a single person household remain the same. Thus the cash figures, though averaged across the whole population, are equivalent to £ per week for a single adult household.

Source: Family expenditure survey.

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