§ Ms. ShortTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security by region, and for Great Britain as a whole, shown separately for male and female, how many 16 and 17-year-olds for each month since January 1992 have made applications for income support on the ground of extreme hardship and how many have been granted or refused; if he will give the information he has about the grounds on which applications were turned down; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. BurtI refer the hon. Member to my reply to her on 21 May at columns238–39. Such information as is available after March 1992 is in the tables. Each application under the severe hardship provisions is considered on its own merits and an award is made where there is a risk of hardship. The figures confirm that our policy of helping those at risk is working effectively.
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Total Successful Refused Scotland 1992 April 1,988 1,669 319 May 1,905 1,552 353 June 2,157 1,722 435 July 2,158 1,716 442 August 2,921 1,664 357 September 1,936 1,539 397 North Eastern 1992
Total Successful Refused April 1,292 1,020 272 May 1,222 983 239 June 1,404 1,099 305 July 1,495 1,224 271 August 1,488 1,230 258 September 1,413 1,123 290 North Western 1992 April 1,082 918 164 May 1,132 942 190 June 1,265 1,045 220 July 1,429 1,181 248 August 1,289 1,093 196 September 1,260 1,038 222 Midlands 1992 April 1,093 888 205 May 1,088 909 179 June 1,126 896 230 July 1,312 1,086 226 August 1,240 1,032 208 September 1,269 1,020 249 Wales and South Western 1992 April 1,000 848 152 May 954 784 170 June 1,077 910 167 July 1,177 982 195 August 1,141 946 195 September 1,087 905 182 London North 1992 April 877 730 147 May 824 698 126 June 991 844 147 July 1,104 911 193 August 1,029 865 164 September 1,019 851 168 London South 1992 April 888 708 180 May 901 749 152 June 974 790 184 July 1,148 955 193 August 1,035 851 184 September 1,044 862 182 Great Britain 1992 April 8,221 6,781 1,440 May 8,041 6,627 1,414 June 8,996 7,308 1,688 July 9,846 8,075 1,771 August 9,272 7,702 1,570 September 9,042 7,350 1,692 Source: Severe Hardship Claims Unit Database.