§ Mr. Ralph HowellTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will list the benefit and allowances to which a married man with eight children under 11 years is entitled if his gross weekly earnings are(a) £90, (b) £120 and (c) £180 and he is paying average rent and rates (i) if he is working and (ii) if he is unemployed and showing the total net weekly spending power in each case.
§ Mr. JackThe information is set out in the table. All assumptions are as set out in the published tax benefit model tables. Each family is assumed to live in council property appropriate to its size and to pay estimated average rent and community charge. Average rents are provisional 1991–92 figures and community charge has been assessed at £250 per annum. Any relevant changes announced in the Budget, including the increase in child benefit which will take effect in October, have also been incorporated.
It should be noted that the results in the tables remain arbitary. They cannot reflect, except by chance, the actual circumstances of particular people and cannot claim to be representative of the population at large. The tables use hypothetical rents so they do not reflect the full range of housing costs which people can pay.
Married couple with 8 children aged under 11 Total net income on Income Support: £232.85 Total net income after Rent and Community charge on Income Support: £197.63 Gross earnings £ Family credit £ Child benefit £ Total net income £ Net income after rent and community charge £ 90.00 99.89 61.75 246.76 211.54 120.00 85.88 61.75 252.77 217.55 180.00 58.16 61.75 264.65 229.43 Note: No rent rebate or Community Charge benefit is payable at these earnings levels. This is due to the high rate of Family Credit.