HC Deb 02 December 1993 vol 233 cc717-8W
Sir David Knox

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many people and what percentages of the population, showing families with children, separately, were dependent on national assistance, supplementary benefit and income support in 1963, 1969, 1979, 1989 and the latest year for which figures are available.

Mr. Burt

The information requested is not available for 1963 and 1969. The latest year for which figures are available is 1992.

Information for 1979, 1989 and 1992 is in the tables.

Beneficiaries as a percentage of population
1979 Per cent.
Couples with dependants 1.3
Couples without dependants 1.5
Single with dependants 1.6
Single without dependants 3.6
Total 8

Beneficiaries as a percentage of population
1989 Per cent.
Couples with dependants 2.8
Couples without dependants 1.3
Single with dependants 3.7
Single without dependants 4.8
Total 12.6

Beneficiaries as a percentage of population
1992 Per cent.
Couples with dependants 3.8
Couples without dependants 1.4
Single with dependants 4.8
Single without dependants 5.7
Total 15.7

Notes:

  1. 1. Source: Supplementary Benefit/Income Support Statistical Annual Enquiries 1979–1989–1992, Office of Population, Censuses and Surveys. Population Estimates Unit.
  2. 2. Percentages are correct to one decimal place and are based on beneficiaries as a proportion of the population.
  3. 3. A dependent is aged under 19 living in the parental home.
  4. 4. For Income Support, temporary separated have been included in couples and therefore the partner may not be a beneficiary.

Sir David Knox

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will update each part of the answer given to the hon. Member for Peckham (Ms Harman) of 15 December 1989,Official Report, column 855, showing the distribution of child benefit expenditure according to (a) the gross income bands, (b) the equivalised gross income bands and (c) the equivalised net income bands of recipient families using (i) each band of £5,000 up to £25,000 and (ii) over £25,000.

Mr. Burt

The information is in the tables.

Estimates are given for the combined years of 1990 and 1991. The figures relating to the distribution of gross and net income are calculated on the basis of sample survey data which are subject to normal sampling and response variations. The income levels are based on current weekly family income scaled up to an annual equivalent and may not therefore accurately reflect true annual income, which cannot be reliably measured from the Family Expenditure Surveys.

Distribution of Child Benefit Expenditure by Annual Income Bands
Income Bands £ No. of children (000's) CHB expenditure (£ millions)
(a) Gross Income
under 5,000 730 300
5-10,000 2,640 1,030
10-15,000 2,310 890
15-20,000 2,290 900
20-25,000 1,750 690
25,000 and above 2,600 1,040
TOTAL 12,320 4,860
(b) Equivalised Gross Income
Under 5,000 1,460 560
5-10,000 3,920 1,530
10-15,000 3,210 1,250
15-20,000 1,760 710
20-25,000 900 360
25,000 and above 1,070 450
TOTAL 12,320 4,860
(c) Equivalised Net Income
Under 5,000 2,040 780
5-10,000 5,440 2,120
10-15,000 2,940 1,170
15-20,000 1,080 440
20-25,000 390 160
25,000 and above 440 190
TOTAL 12,320 4,860

Notes:

1. Estimates do not all sum due to rounding.

2. Estimates are taken from the 1990 and 1991 FES. The second quarter of 1991 data is omitted due to data deficiencies related to the late receipt of revised community charge bills. The reply is based on data used for the "Households Above Average Income" (HBAI) publication. As a result the income and expenditure figures are those recorded at the time of the survey and unlike the previous answer no attempt has been made to project these forward.

3. Gross income is the family's total income from all sources including benefits before housing costs.

4. Equivalence scales are calculated giving a married couple a value of 1 00—the method used in the "HBAI" publication.