§ Mr. MeacherTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will give, for each uprating date since November 1979,(a) the cash level, (b) the percentage
Table 1 Unemployment benefit Uprating date Single Couple Percentage increase in RPI since previous uprating date Percentage increase in adult male gross full-time earnings since previous uprating date Percentage increase in adult male net full-time earnings since previous uprating date Rate (£) Percentage increase on previous rate Rate (£) Percentage increase on previous rate Single Couple November 1979 18.50 — 29.95 — — — — — November 1980 20.65 11.6 33.40 11.5 15.3 18.4 16.9 17.0 November 1981 22.50 9.0 36.40 9.0 12.0 10.7 8.1 7.8 November 1982 25.00 11.1 40.45 11.1 6.3 7.4 6.3 6.7 November 1983 27.05 8.2 43.75 8.2 4.8 7.3 7.5 7.2 November 1984 28.45 5.2 46.00 5.1 4.9 8.7 9.0 9.0 November 1985 30.45 7.0 49.25 7.1 5.5 6.5 6.8 6.9 July 1986 30.80 1.1 49.80 1.1 1.7 5.7 7.0 6.1 April 1987 31.45 2.1 50.85 2.1 4.4 6.2 8.4 7.6 April 1988 32.75 4.1 52.95 4.1 3.9 9.7 12.1 11.2 April 1989 34.70 6.0 56.10 5.9 8.0 9.6 9.4 9.3 April 1990 37.35 7.6 60.40 7.7 9.4 9.7 11.2 11.2 April 1991 41.40 10.8 66.95 10.8 6.4 7.9 8.1 7.8 888W
Table 2: Sickness Benefit Single Couple Uprating date Rate £ Percentage increase on previous rate Per cent. Rate £ Percentage increase on previous rate Per cent. November 1979 16.50 — 29.95 — November 1980 20.65 11.6 33.40 11.5 November 1981 22.50 9.0 36.40 9.0 November 1982 25.00 11.1 40.45 11.1 November 1983 25.95 3.8 41.95 3.7 November 1984 27.25 5.0 44.05 5.0 November 1985 29.15 7.0 47.15 7.0 July 1986 29.45 1.0 47.65 1.1 April 1987 30.05 2.0 48.65 2.1 April 1988 31.30 4.2 50.70 4.2 April 1989 33.20 6.1 53.75 6.0 April 1990 35.70 7.5 57.80 7.5 April 1991 39.60 10.9 64.10 10.9 increase on the previous year, (c) the percentage increase in the retail prices index since the previous year, (d) the percentage increase in adult male gross average full-time earnings since the previous year, (e) the percentage increase in adult male average full-time earnings net of national insurance and income tax since the previous year, for (i) unemployment benefit, (ii) sickness benefit, (iii) statutory sick pay since its introduction, (iv) child benefit, (v) retirement pension, (vi) invalidity benefit, (vii) one-parent benefit and (viii) maternity benefit at the single and couple rate, where appropriate.
§ Mr. JackThe information requested is in the tables. As the information requested in(c), (d) and (e) is identical for all the benefits-with the exception of statutory sick pay, which was uprated on a different month from the other benefits mentioned here from 1983 until 1987. This is given once in table 1.
889W
Table 3 Statutory sick pay Uprating date (April) Rate (£) Percentage increase on previous rate Percentage increase in RPI since previous uprating date Percentage increase in adult male gross full-time earnings since previous uprating date Percentage increase in adult male net full-time earnings since previous uprating date Standard Middle Lower Standard Middle Lower Single Couple 1983 40.25 33.75 27.20 — — — — — — — 1984 42.25 35.45 28.55 5.0 5.0 5.0 5.2 8.6 8.8 9.2 1985 44.35 37.20 30.00 5.0 4.9 5.1 6.9 7.6 7.9 7.9 1986 46.75 39.20 31.60 5.4 5.4 5.3 3.0 7.8 8.9 8.5 1987 47.20 — 32.85 1.0 — 4.0 4.2 8.0 10.0 9.4 1988 49.20 — 34.25 4.2 — 4.3 3.9 9.7 12.1 11.7 1989 52.10 36.25 5.9 — 5.8 8.0 9.6 9.4 9.3 1990 52.50 — 39.25 0.8 — 8.3 9.4 9.7 11.2 11.2 1991 52.50 — 43.50 0.0 — 10.8 6.4 7.9 8.1 7.8
Table 4: Child Benefit (Standard Rate for first or eldest child) Uprating Date Rate £ Percentage increase on previous rate April 1979 4.00 33.3 November 1980 4.75 18.8 November 1981 5.25 10.5 November 1982 5.85 11.4 November 1983 6.50 11.1 November 1984 6.85 5.4 November 1985 7.00 2.2 July 1986 7.10 1.4 April 1987 7.25 2.1 April 1988 7.25 0.0 April 1989 7.25 0.0 April 1990 7.25 0.0 April 1991 8.25 13.8 October 1991 9.25 12.1
Table 5: Retirement Pension Uprating Date Single Couple Rate Percentage Increase on Previous Rate Rate Percentage Increase on Previous Rate November 1979 Under 80 £23.30 — £37.30 — Over 80 £23.55 — £37.80 — Novemerber 1980 Under 80 £27.15 16.5 £43.45 16.5 Over 80 £27.40 16.3 £43.95 16.3 November 1981 Under 80 £29.60 9.0 £47.35 9.0 Over 80 £29.85 8.9 £47.85 8.9 November 1982 890W
Table 6: Invalidity Benefit Single Couple Uprating date Rate £ Percentage increase on previous rate Per cent. Rate £ Percentage increase on previous rate Per cent. November 1979 23.30 — 37.30 — November 1980 26.00 11.6 41.60 11.5 November 1981 28.35 9.0 45.35 9.0 November 1982 31.45 10.9 50.30 10.9 November 1983 32.60 3.7 52.15 3.7 November 1984 34.25 5.1 54.80 5.1 November 1985 38.30 11.8 61.30 11.9 July 1986 38.70 1.0 61.95 1.1 April 1987 39.50 2.1 63.25 2.1 April 1988 41.15 4.2 65.90 4.2 April 1989 43.60 6.0 69.80 5.9 April 1990 46.90 7.6 75.10 7.6 April 1991 52.00 10.9 83.25 10.9 891W
Uprating Date Single Couple Rate Percentage Increase on Previous Rate Rate Percentage Increase on Previous Rate Under 80 £32.85 11.0 £52.55 11.0 Over 80 £33.10 10.9 £53.05 10.9 November 1983 Under 80 £34.05 3.7 £54.50 3.7 Over 80 £34.30 3.6 £55.00 3.7 November 1984 Under 80 £35.80 5.1 £57.30 5.1 Over 80 £36.05 5.1 £57.80 5.1 November 1985 Under 80 £38.30 7.0 £61.30 7.0 Over 80 £38.55 6.9 £61.80 6.9 July 1986 Under 80 £38.70 1.0 £61.95 1.1 Over 80 £38.95 1.0 £62.45 1.1 April 1987 Under 80 £39.50 2.1 £63.25 2.1 Over 80 £39.75 2.1 £63.75 2.1 April 1988 Under 80 £41.15 4.2 £65.90 4.2 Over 80 £41.40 4.2 £66.40 4.2 April 1989 Under 80 £43.60 6.0 £69.80 5.9 Over 80 £43.85 5.9 £70.30 5.9 April 1990 Under 80 £46.90 7.6 £75.10 7.6 Over 80 £47.15 7.5 £75.60 7.5 April 1991 Under 80 £52.00 10.9 £83.25 10.9 Over 80 £52.25 10.8 £83.75 10.8
Table 7: One Parent Benefit Uprating date Rate £ Percentage increase on previous rate November 1979 2.50 — November 1980 3.00 20.0 November 1981 3.30 10.0 November 1982 3.65 10.6 November 1983 4.05 11.0 November 1984 4.25 4.9
Table 8: maternity benefit Single Couple Uprating date Rate £ Percentage increase on previous rate Per cent. Rate £ Percentage increase on previous rate Per cent. November 1979 18.50 — 29.95 — November 1980 20.65 11.6 33.40 11.5 November 1981 22.50 9.0 36.40 9.0 November 1982 25.00 11.1 40.45 1l.1 November 1983 25.95 3.8 41.95 3.7 November 1984 27.25 5.0 44.05 5.0 November 1985 29.15 7.0 47.15 7.0 July 1986 29.45 1.0 47.65 1.1 April 1987 30.05 2.0 48.65 2.1 April 1988 31.30 4.2 50.70 4.2 April 1989 33.20 6.1 53.75 6.0 April 1990 35.70 7.5 57.80 7.5 April 1991 40.60 13.7 65.10 12.6
§ Mr. MeacherTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, pursuant to his answer of 10 March,Official Report, column 510, on the number of households claiming a social security benefit, if he will indicate in what form information is available.
§ Mr. JackBroad estimates of households' receipt of benefits including retirement pension could be made from the family expenditure survey, subject to some difficulties such as underreporting of certain benefits. These estimates could be obtained for the sequence of years 1979, 1981, 1983, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988 and 1989 only at disproportionate cost. For the other years, data are not readily available in the form requested and would involve significantly more work, again at disproportionate cost.
Reliable information on households' receipt of benefits excluding retirement pension is not available for any year because survey data do not distinguish accurately between receipt of supplementary benefit/income support by pensioners and contributory retirement pensions.