§ Mr. HinchliffeTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what was the level of benefit payment expenditure to unemployed people for each year since 1979–80, and the average benefit entitlement per claimant annually.
§ Mr. Burt[holding answer 28 October 1992]: Expenditure on benefits to unemployed people since 1979–80 is shown in the table. The average benefit payment per claimant is not available. Unemployed people may receive all, one or any combination of unemployment benefit, income support, housing benefit, community charge benefit or a loan from the social fund. So the actual number of claimants who receive benefits for unemployment is not known.
101W
Annual expenditure £ million 1979–80 1,470 1980–81 2,530 1981–82 4,022 1982–83 5,011 1983–84 5,701 1984–85 6,139 1985–86 6,963 1986–87 7,308 1987–88 6,647 1988–89 5,235 1989–90 4,309 1990–91 5,036 1991–92 7,362 Note: Benefits for unemployed people include Unemployment Benefit, the principal income-related benefits and payments from the Social Fund to unemployed people and their families. The table does not include child benefit, one parent benefit, maternity benefits, widows' benefits or any of the disability benefits to which unemployed people may also be entitled.