HC Deb 13 March 1992 vol 205 cc768-70W
Mr. Maxton

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many children in Scotland were growing up in households dependent on income support or supplementary benefit; and what share of the Scottish population aged 16 years and under this represented, in each year since 1974.

Miss Widdecombe

The answer is given in the table. The information requested is not available for the years prior to 1977 and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

The figures in the table largely reflect the increased numbers of lone parent families that is a characteristic of Great Britain as a whole and the fact that 60 per cent. of lone parents are either separated or divorced. Members of this group tend to become dependent on income support because of the problems that they face in obtaining appropriate levels of maintenance for their children and also in entering the labour market. This situation will be helped by the two changes in family credit that are to take effect from April; the definition of remunerative work is to be reduced to 16 hours and a £15 disregard is to be introduced for child maintenance from absent parents. In the longer term the Child Support Agency will help lone parents obtain the child maintenance that is due to them.

(A) (B) (C)
Year Number of children in Scotland aged 16 or under dependent on income support (B) expressed as a percentage of the total number of children in Scotland aged 16 or under
(000's)
1977 122 8.6
1978 121 8.8
1979 111 8.2
1980 121 9.2
1981 158 12.3
1982 186 14.9
1983 180 14.7
1984 200 17.1
11986 216 18.9
1987 221 19.6
1988 232 21.0
1989 229 21.0
1990 222 20.4
Note: Figures are rounded to the nearest thousand.
Sources: Supplementary benefit/income support annual statistical inquiries for 1977 to 1990. Population statistics branch. General Register Office, Scotland.
1 There was no annual statistical inquiry in 1985: the one due in December that year was deferred until February 1986.

Mr. Allen

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what proportion of income support recipients are responsible for a mortgage or home loan and are(a) not in arrears with their payments, (b) more than three months in arrears and (c) more than six months in arrears.

Miss Widdecombe

The information is not available in the form requested. The Benefits Agency is currently

Table 1
Average payment (at 1991–92 prices) (£ per annum)1
1978–79 1979–80 1980–81 1981–82 1982–83 1983–84 1984–85 1985–86 1986–87 1987–88 1988–89 1989–90 1990–91 1991–92
Retirement Pension2 2,400 2,360 2,330 2,410 2,490 2,540 2,490 2,550 2,590 2,550 2,450 2,450 2,450 2,570
Widows' Benefit2 2,770 2,670 2,640 2,690 2,730 2,800 2,810 2,820 2,880 2,890 2,840 2,640 2,720 2,810
Unemployment Benefit 3,010 2,760 2,620 2,500 2,300 2,350 2,360 2,400 2,410 2,390 2,280 2,270 2,190 2,320
Sickness Benefit 3,370 3,110 2,950 2,140 2,350 2,490 2,360 2,490 2,500 2,440 2,260 2,260 2,200 2,230
Statutory Sick Pay3 — — — — — 3,330 3,220 3,210 3,300 3,230 3,040 3,060 2,840 2,620
Invalidity Benefit2 3,800 3,730 3,640 3,720 3,810 3,940 3,950 3,920 3,990 3,890 3,770 3,740 3,750 3,970
Industrial Disablement Benefit 2,170 2,100 2,080 2,170 2,160 2,230 2,230 2,220 2,160 2,070 1,890 1,850 1,820 1,820
Industrial Death Benefit 2,890 2,790 2,750 2,810 2,840 2,880 2,790 2,790 2,840 2,970 2,430 2,280 2,570 2,600
Maternity Allowance 2,850 2,530 2,440 2,260 2,030 2,050 2,040 2,060 2,130 2,250 2,220 1,740 1,820 1,950
Statutory Maternity Pay — — — — — — — — — 3,200 3,860 3,690 4,200 4,050
Non-contributory RP 1,540 1,520 1,490 1,400 1,490 1,640 1,700 1,690 1,290 1,400 1,270 1,160 1,100 1,060
War Pension 2,400 2,360 2,310 2,490 2,550 2,660 2,720 2,840 2,940 2,940 2,850 2,810 2,970 3,100
Attendance Allowance 1,720 1,640 1,620 1,690 1,730 1,780 1,790 1,780 1,800 1,770 1,700 1,690 1,690 1,760
Invalid Care Allowance4 2,170 1,860 1,960 2,150 1,340 1,600 1,670 1,880 5,810 3,050 2,140 1,860 1,650 1,690
Severe Disablement Allowance 1,250 1,200 1,210 1,290 1,320 1,390 1,470 1,570 1,500 1,470 1,450 1,430 1,580 1,940
Mobility Allowance 1,340 1,310 1,330 1,480 1,490 1,540 1,390 1,450 1,560 1,530 1,490 1,530 1,520 1,610
Income Support/Supplementary Benefit5 2,030 1,940 2,000 2,330 2,510 2,020 2,100 2,230 2,180 2,100 2,170 2,140 2,270 2,470
Child Benefit (per child)6 360 490 440 460 470 500 520 520 520 510 460 440 400 430
One Parent Benefit 210 270 280 290 300 320 320 330 340 330 310 310 320 300
Family Credit/FIS7 770 780 870 950 950 980 940 910 1,050 1,080 1,740 1,620 1,650 1,760
Rate Rebate5 150 150 160 180 170 280 270 300 310 320 320 310 — —
Rent Allowance5 460 420 390 470 480 840 910 890 1,130 1,120 1,330 1,420 1,590 1,770
Rent Rebate58 460 460 470 560 510 850 840 870 880 890 1,010 1,080 1,070 1,080
Community Charge Benefits9 — — — — — — — — — — — 250 330 190
Notes:
1 Cash values revalued by use of the GDP deflator.
2 Includes additional pensions.
3 80 per cent. reimbursement in 1991–92 grossed up to 100 per cent.
4 Data for 1986–87 and 1987–88 distorted by major increase in numbers of beneficiaries and extensive arrears payments following the extension of entitlement to married women, first announced in 1985–86.
5 Changes in 1983–84 reflect the transfer of support for housing costs from supplementary benefit to housing benefit.
6 Increase in 1979–80 reflects the full introduction of child benefit and abolition of most child tax allowances.

undertaking an exercise to identify claimants in difficulties with their mortgage interest payments and to make those payments direct to lenders. From April all claimants receiving help with mortgage interest will have payments made automatically to qualifying lenders.