Income Support (Hansard, 3 December 1992)

§ Mr. Bradley
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many(a) male and (b) female (i) pensioners and (ii) people of working age were in receipt of income support at the latest available date; and what proportion they made of the relevant population in each case.

§ Mr. Burt
The information requested is in the table.
343W

Number of income support recipients Percentage of relevant population in Great Britain

Male claimants over 65 270,000 7.64

Female claimants over 60 1,140,000 16.86

Total number of claimants who are of pensionable age 1,410,000 13.70

Male claimants of working age 1,390,000 6.34

Female claimants of working age 1,700,000 7.15

Total number of claimants who are of working age 3,080,000 6.76

Notes:
1. Figures are rounded to the nearest ten thousand
Figures may not sum due to rounding
Pensioners are defined as males over age 65 and females over age 60
2. Source: Income Support Statistics Annual Enquiry, May 1991 Office of Population Censuses and Surveys, 1990

§ Mr. Bradley
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many people on income support had automatic deductions for(a) electricity, (b) gas, (c) social fund loan repayments, (d) rent arrears, (e) mortgage arrears, (f) water charges and (g) community charge arrears at the latest available date; and what were the average amounts for each type of deduction.

§ Mr. Burt
The latest available information showing the numbers of income support recipients with deductions is as follows:

Numbers

Fuel ¹305,000

Social fund loan repayments ²637,000

Rent arrears ¹134,000

Mortgage interest ³461,000

Water charges ¹147,000

Community charge arrears ¹337,000

¹ These figures are based on Management Information Statistics (MIS) collected by the Benefits Agency at the end of August 1992. MIS figures do not distinguish between gas and electricity deductions or provide an average amount for each type of deduction. These figures have been rounded to the nearest thousand, are provisional and may be subject to amendments.

² It is not possible to exclude from the social fund figure repayments made by people not in receipt of income support.

³ The figures for mortgage interest deductions is based on the number of direct payments made during November 1992. Recipients with more than one mortgage will be counted more than once.

The latest information available showing separate figures for gas and electricity deductions and the average amount of individual deductions is contained in table 10.1 of volume 1 of the "Department of Social Security Income Support Statistics Annual Statistical Enquiry, May 1991", a copy of which is in the Library.
Figures distinguishing between deductions for current charges and those for arrears are not available.

	Number of income support recipients	Percentage of relevant population in Great Britain
Male claimants over 65	270,000	7.64
Female claimants over 60	1,140,000	16.86
Total number of claimants who are of pensionable age	1,410,000	13.70
Male claimants of working age	1,390,000	6.34
Female claimants of working age	1,700,000	7.15
Total number of claimants who are of working age	3,080,000	6.76

	Numbers
Fuel	¹305,000
Social fund loan repayments	²637,000
Rent arrears	¹134,000
Mortgage interest	³461,000
Water charges	¹147,000
Community charge arrears	¹337,000
¹ These figures are based on Management Information Statistics (MIS) collected by the Benefits Agency at the end of August 1992. MIS figures do not distinguish between gas and electricity deductions or provide an average amount for each type of deduction. These figures have been rounded to the nearest thousand, are provisional and may be subject to amendments.
² It is not possible to exclude from the social fund figure repayments made by people not in receipt of income support.
³ The figures for mortgage interest deductions is based on the number of direct payments made during November 1992. Recipients with more than one mortgage will be counted more than once.