§ Mr. Ralph HowellTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what was the central Government expenditure on rent rebates, rent allowances, rate rebates and family credit in 1979 and 1989; and what was the income level at which these benefits ceased and the number of persons in receipt of such benefits in each year.
§ Mrs. Gillian ShephardThe information available is in the table. In 1979–80 assistance with housing costs was provided through the supplementary benefit scheme administered by the Department of Health and Social 739W Security and the rent and rate rebate and rent allowance schemes which were the responsibility of the Department of the Environment. The costs and numbers receiving assistance with housing costs through supplementary benefit are not available and the figures for 1979–80 therefore represent the Department of the Environment schemes only. Expenditure in 1989–90 is the amount of central Government grant paid to local authorities through housing benefit subsidy. Direct comparison of the two sets of figures would be misleading because of the limited nature of the information for 1979–80.
Under both the 1979–80 schemes and the current scheme for supporting housing costs, the amount of help available to a person would be dependent partly upon those housing costs. There is, therefore, no single income level at which help would run out.
In 1979, the income level at which family income supplement ceased depended upon the number of children in the family. In family credit the level depends on the number of children and their ages.
1979–80 1989–90 £ million (000s) £ million (000s) Rent rebate 238 1,205 2,748 3,115 Rent allowance 40 220 1,260 1,040 Rate rebate 200 3,065 1,178 4,480 Family Incomesupplement 27 80 — — Family credit — — 435 315