§ Mr. AllenTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is his estimate of the likely impact of SI, 1991, No. 1559 on reducing future entitlement to income support and the numbers eligible; and if he will make a statement.
§ Miss WiddecombeI refer the hon. Member to my reply to the hon. Member for Oldham, West (Mr. Meacher) on 7 November.
§ Mr. AllenTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what savings on income support payments are expected from reduced mortgage interest repayments arising from SI 1991 No. 1520.
Total number of people dependant on income support 7,022,222 Ranges of deductions Fuel Rent arrears Water Social fund Other £0.01 to £0.99 Number 100 — 201 2,099 2,000 Percentage 0.001 — 0.003 0.030 0.028 £1.00 to £1.99 Number 701 46,636 5,989 24,168 13,477 Percentage 0.010 0.664 0.085 0.344 0.192 £2.00 to £2.99 Number 1,796 100 5,792 48,027 24,071 Percentage 0.026 0.001 0.082 0.684 0.343 £3.00 to £3.99 Number 5,295 — 12,373 72,609 10,376 Percentage 0.075 — 0.176 1.034 0.148 £4.00 to £4.99 Number 6,095 — 14,093 62,563 4,094 Percentage 0.087 — 0.201 0.891 0.058 £5.00 to £6.99 Number 20,086 — 4,002 82,164 25,960 Percentage 0.286 — 0.057 1.170 0.370 £7.00 to £9.99 Number 49,848 — 200 56,919 6,792 Percentage 0.710 — 0.003 0.811 0.097 £10.00 and over Number 98,590 — 100 34,454 11,889 Percentage 1.404 — 0.001 0.490 0.169 Source: Income Support Annual Statistical Inquiry 1990.
Notes:
316W
- 1. A person may appear in more than one deduction group.
- 2. A person may have more than one deduction in either the fuel or others deduction groups but will be counted only once in that group.
- 3. The figures represent the number of people in each of the deduction groups.
- 4. Percentages shown are the number in each category as a percentage of the total number of people dependant on income support.
- 5. Information on Community Charge arrears was not collected at the time of the inquiry.
§ Miss WiddecombeSI 1991 No. 1520 amends the Family Credit (General) Regulations 1987 and will make it easier for working parents to claim family credit by reducing the number of hours they need to work from 24 to 16 hours a week from April 1992.
We estimate that up to 5,000 parents with a mortgage, who are receiving income support and working 16 or more hours a week in April 1992, will become eligible for family credit and be better off. In addition, up to 10,000 working families with children are likely to continue to receive help with their mortgage in income support under special protection arrangements, on top of any family credit they receive.
As these families will be either better off or no worse off, there is expected to be a benefit cost, rather than a saving, as a result of this amendment.
§ Mr. MeacherTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is his latest estimate of the total number of persons, including dependants, in receipt of income support; how many are currently subject to deductions in their income support on grounds of fuel, rent, water, poll tax, social fund, or other reasons amounting to(a) less than £1 a week, (b) £1 to £2 a week, (c) £2 to £3 a week, (d) £3 to £4 a week, (e) £4 to £5 a week, (f) £5 to £7 a week, (g) £7 to £10 a week and (h) over £10 a week; and what percentage each of these totals represents as a proportion of the total number dependent on income support.
§ Miss WiddecombeThe information available is shown in the table.