Benefit Statistics (Hansard, 3 December 1993)

§ Sir David Knox
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will publish a table similar to table 9a in "The Growth of Social Security", but showing claimant numbers instead of expenditure in 1978–79, 1982–83, 1988–89 and 1992–93, for each of retirement pension basic, retirement pension earnings related, widow's benefit, unemployment benefit, sickness benefit, statutory sick pay, invalidity benefit age 65 years plus, invalidity benefit age 60 to 64 years, invalidity benefit age under 60 years, supplementary benefit/income support age 65 years plus, supplementary benefit/income support age 60 to 64 years, supplementary benefit/income support age under 60 years, child benefit, one-parent benefit, family income supplement/family credit, rate rebate, rent allowance, rent rebate and community charge benefit.

§ Mr. Scott
The information is in the tables.
809W

November 1978 November 1982 November 1988 November 1992

Unemployment benefit 492,000 975,000 500,000 654,000

Statistics are from the Quarterly Analysis of Unemployed Claimants, and are based on a 100 per cent. sample.

2 June 1979 2 April 1983 1 April 1989 ¹1992–93

Sickness benefit 430,000 338,000 109,000 135,000

¹Statistics are based on a 1 per cent. sample of claimants apart from 1992–93 which is taken direct from the Departmental Report (Cm 2213).

1978–79 1982–83 ¹1988–89 ¹1992–93

Statutory sick pay not available not available 365,000 330,000

¹This information is taken from the Departmental Report (Cm 2213).

Statutory Sick Pay was introduced from 1April 1983.

Invalidity bebefit

2 June 1979 2 April 1983 1 April 1989 4 April 1992

Age 65 and over 38,000 55,000 151,000 219,000

Age 60 to 64 173,000 217,000 286,000 330,000

Age under 60 399,000 465,000 689,000 890,000

Statistics are based on a 1 per cent. sample of claimants.

Supplementary benefit/income support

November 1978 December 1982 May 1988 May 1992

65 and over 1,610,000 1,662,000 1,433,000 1,368,000

60 to 64 202,000 249,000 280,000 263,000

Age under 60 1,121,000 2,355,000 2,638,000 3,456,000

Statistics are from the Suplementary Benefit/Income Support Annual Inquiries, and are grossed up from a 1 per cent. sample.

31 December 1978 31 December 1982 31 December 1988 31 December 1992

Child benefit 7,178,000 7,045,000 6,706,000 6,857,000

Statistics are from the Annual Child Benefit statistics, and are grossed up from a 4 per cent. sample.

31 December 1978 31 December 1982 31 December 1988 31 December 1992

One parent benefit 311,000 508,000 708,000 855,000

Statistics are from the Annual One Parent Benefit statistics and are grossed up from a 4 per cent. sample.

Family income supplement/family credit

1978–79 1982–83 1988–89 1992–93

Family income supplement 85,000 165,000 — —

Family credit — — 280,000 442,000

The Family credit statistics are based on a 5 per cent. sample of awards.

Housing benefit/community charge benefit

¹1978–79 ¹1982–83 ¹1988–89 ¹1992–93

Rent rebate 1,210,000 3,050,000 3,125,000 3,105,000

Rent allowance 225,000 260,000 965,000 1,210,000

Rent rebate 3,055,000 5,320,000 5,150,000 —

Community charge benefit — — — 6,655,000

¹These figures are underlying the expenditure information given in table 9a of the Growth of Social Security Expenditure. They reflect average numbers of beneficiaries in receipt of Housing Benefit/Community Charge Benefit: Domestic rates were abolished and Community Charge introduced in Scotland in 1989 and the rest of Great Britain in 1990.

§ Sir David Knox
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will amend the figures for child benefit expenditure and expenditure on families in tables 9a, 9b, 10, 11a, llb and 12 of "The Growth of Social Security," so that the cost of residual child tax allowances in 1978–79 is included; and if in table 12 he will also distinguish between the growth in expenditure on two-parent families and one-parent families.
810W

§ Mr. Burt
The amended figures are as follows:

£ million

Table 9a:

Child Benefit expenditure 1978–79 (cash) 2,226

Table 9b:

Child Benefit expenditure 1978–79 (92-93) prices 6,213

811W

£ million

Table 10:

Average annual real increase in Child Benefit expenditure

1978–79 to 1992–93 -0.53 per cent.

1978–79 to 1983–84 1.09 per cent.

Table 12:

Average annual real increase in benefit expenditure

Percentages

1978–79 to 1992–93 1978–79 to 1983–84 1983–84 to 1986–87 1986–87 to 1989–90 1989–90 to 1992–93

All Families 3.07 3.06 5.06 -1.38 5.69

Two parent families 0.39 2.89 3.65 -7.54 1.32

Lone parent families 7.20 3.46 8.21 9.21 10.63

§ Sir David Knox
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will publish a table tabulating the costs of administering the social security benefit system in 1978–79, 1982–83, 1986–87, 1990–91 and the latest year for which figures are available, at current and constant prices, and as percentages of benefit expenditure; and what were the costs of administering(a) basic retirement pension, (b)

Cost of administering social security benefits

1978–79 1982–83 1986–87 1990–91 1991–92

Cost of administering Social Security Benefits

Outturn prices 764 1,514 2,074 3,201 3,564

Constant 1991–92 prices 2,004 2,520 2,876 3,373 3,564

Administration cost as a percentage of benefit expenditure 4.9 4.8 4.6 5.7 5.5

Cost of administering Retirement Pension

Outturn prices 108 205 235 354 329

Constant 1991–92 prices 283 341 326 373 329

Administration cost as a percentage of RP benefit expenditure (see notes) 1.4 1.5 1.3 1.6 1.3

Cost of administering Child Benefit

Outturn prices 56 97 102 107 118

Constant 1991–92 prices 147 161 141 113 118

Administration cost as a percentage of Child Benefit expenditure 3.1 2.6 2.2 2.2 2.2

Cost of administering Unemployment Benefit/IS

Outturn prices 67 132 179 182 322

Constant 1991–92 prices 176 220 248 192 322

Administration cost as a percentage of UB expenditure 10.6 8.8 10.4 20.9 20.1

Cost of administering Supplementary Benefit/1S

Outturn prices 208 593 929 1,348 1,378

Constant 1991–92 prices 735 987 1,288 1,420 1,373

Administration cost as a percentage of Supplementary Benefit/IS expenditure 12.4 9.3 11.6 15.2 11.8

Notes:
¹Prices are in millions.
²GDP deflator used to calculate prices.
³Figures cover all components of Retirement Pension (RP).

	November 1978	November 1982	November 1988	November 1992
Unemployment benefit	492,000	975,000	500,000	654,000

	2 June 1979	2 April 1983	1 April 1989	¹1992–93
Sickness benefit	430,000	338,000	109,000	135,000
¹Statistics are based on a 1 per cent. sample of claimants apart from 1992–93 which is taken direct from the Departmental Report (Cm 2213).

	1978–79	1982–83	¹1988–89	¹1992–93
Statutory sick pay	not available	not available	365,000	330,000
¹This information is taken from the Departmental Report (Cm 2213).

Invalidity bebefit
	2 June 1979	2 April 1983	1 April 1989	4 April 1992
Age 65 and over	38,000	55,000	151,000	219,000
Age 60 to 64	173,000	217,000	286,000	330,000
Age under 60	399,000	465,000	689,000	890,000

Supplementary benefit/income support
	November 1978	December 1982	May 1988	May 1992
65 and over	1,610,000	1,662,000	1,433,000	1,368,000
60 to 64	202,000	249,000	280,000	263,000
Age under 60	1,121,000	2,355,000	2,638,000	3,456,000

	31 December 1978	31 December 1982	31 December 1988	31 December 1992
Child benefit	7,178,000	7,045,000	6,706,000	6,857,000

Family income supplement/family credit
	1978–79	1982–83	1988–89	1992–93
Family income supplement	85,000	165,000	—	—
Family credit	—	—	280,000	442,000

Housing benefit/community charge benefit
	¹1978–79	¹1982–83	¹1988–89	¹1992–93
Rent rebate	1,210,000	3,050,000	3,125,000	3,105,000
Rent allowance	225,000	260,000	965,000	1,210,000
Rent rebate	3,055,000	5,320,000	5,150,000	—
Community charge benefit	—	—	—	6,655,000
¹These figures are underlying the expenditure information given in table 9a of the Growth of Social Security Expenditure. They reflect average numbers of beneficiaries in receipt of Housing Benefit/Community Charge Benefit: Domestic rates were abolished and Community Charge introduced in Scotland in 1989 and the rest of Great Britain in 1990.

	£ million
Table 9a:
Child Benefit expenditure 1978–79 (cash)	2,226
Table 9b:
Child Benefit expenditure 1978–79 (92-93) prices	6,213

	£ million
Table 10:
Average annual real increase in Child Benefit expenditure
1978–79 to 1992–93	-0.53 per cent.
1978–79 to 1983–84	1.09 per cent.

Table 12:
Average annual real increase in benefit expenditure
				Percentages
	1978–79 to 1992–93	1978–79 to 1983–84	1983–84 to 1986–87	1986–87 to 1989–90	1989–90 to 1992–93
All Families	3.07	3.06	5.06	-1.38	5.69
Two parent families	0.39	2.89	3.65	-7.54	1.32
Lone parent families	7.20	3.46	8.21	9.21	10.63

Cost of administering social security benefits
	1978–79	1982–83	1986–87	1990–91	1991–92
Cost of administering Social Security Benefits
Outturn prices	764	1,514	2,074	3,201	3,564
Constant 1991–92 prices	2,004	2,520	2,876	3,373	3,564
Administration cost as a percentage of benefit expenditure	4.9	4.8	4.6	5.7	5.5
Cost of administering Retirement Pension
Outturn prices	108	205	235	354	329
Constant 1991–92 prices	283	341	326	373	329
Administration cost as a percentage of RP benefit expenditure (see notes)	1.4	1.5	1.3	1.6	1.3
Cost of administering Child Benefit
Outturn prices	56	97	102	107	118
Constant 1991–92 prices	147	161	141	113	118
Administration cost as a percentage of Child Benefit expenditure	3.1	2.6	2.2	2.2	2.2
Cost of administering Unemployment Benefit/IS
Outturn prices	67	132	179	182	322
Constant 1991–92 prices	176	220	248	192	322
Administration cost as a percentage of UB expenditure	10.6	8.8	10.4	20.9	20.1
Cost of administering Supplementary Benefit/1S
Outturn prices	208	593	929	1,348	1,378
Constant 1991–92 prices	735	987	1,288	1,420	1,373
Administration cost as a percentage of Supplementary Benefit/IS expenditure	12.4	9.3	11.6	15.2	11.8