§ Ms. CorstonTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will specify the annual income entitlement (supplementary benefit or income support), excluding housing benefit, for(a) a single unemployed person aged 24 and (b) a man and a woman both aged 34 with two children aged 12 and 11 years respectively for each of the years 1979 to 1989 inclusive, at 1989 prices.
§ Mr. BurtThe information requested is in the table.
Part of our policy in replacing supplementary benefit was to target benefit on those groups most in need, and we succeeded. Since 1988 we have given extra help, over and above normal upratings, to families with children. The income support rates for single people aged 18 to 24 take account of the fact that the vast majority live as members of someone else's household.
A Financial year B Annual entitlement at April 1989 prices £ C Annual entitlement at April 1989 prices £ 1979–80 1,542.25 3,802.38 1980–81 1,572.16 4,002.40 1981–82 1,612.82 4,270.16 1982–83 1,654.58 4,379.18 1983–84 1,704.56 4,509.83 1984–85 1,706.86 4,516.65 1985–86 1,709.09 4,523.13 1986–87 1,725.19 4,571.23 1987–88 1,707.39 4,524.02 1988–89 1,398.44 4,820.73 1989–90 1,394.52 4,885.92 Notes:
Col. B—shows for 1979–88 the annual Supplementary Benefit entitlement, at 1989 prices, for a single householder. From April 1988 the figures are the annual entitlement to Income Support, at 1989 prices, for a single unemployed person age 18–24. No additions which might have been payable within Supplementary Benefit or Income Support premiums for special needs have been included.
Col. C—shows for 1979–88 the annual Supplementary Benefit entitlement, at 1989 prices, for a couple (aged 18 or over) with two children aged I I and 12. From April 1988 the figures are the annual Income Support entitlement, at 1989 prices, for the same family composition. No additions which might have been payable within Supplementary Benefit have been included. The Income Support figures include the family premium which is paid automatically.
The Rossi Index (ie, the Retail Prices Index less housing costs) has been used to revalue at 1989 prices because there is no housing element in the entitlement amount.