HL Deb 04 November 1993 vol 549 cc143-4WA
Baroness Hollis of Heigham

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What is or is expected to be the annual cost to the Treasury of income support for a single person under 25 (a) in the current year; (b) in 1996; and (c) in 1999; what part of these costs is administrative; how many single people under 25 are currently in receipt of income support and what is the total annual cost to the Treasury; and

What is or is expected to be the average annual cost to (a) the Treasury; and (b) local government of housing benefit for a single person under 25 (a) in the current year; (b) in 1996; and (c) in 1999; what part of these costs is administrative; how many single people under 25 are currently in receipt of housing benefit and what is the total annual cost to the Treasury and to local government.

The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of Social Security (Viscount Astor)

The available information is as follows. Using sample survey information drawn in May 1992, estimated average annual income support for a single person aged under 25 was £1,730. Annualised average housing benefit for the same group using the same method is set out in the table.

Average annual amount of housing benefit £ Caseload
Housing benefit with income support 2,010 145,000
Housing benefit without income support 1,500 40,000
Total housing benefit 1,900 185,000

Although the information given above can be combined to produce an estimate of the total annual expenditure, as it is derived from survey information at a point in time, it is likely to underestimate actual annual expenditure because of caseload fluctuations during the remainder of the year. The estimates that follow are therefore indicative of no more than broad orders of magnitude. Assuming an estimated annual caseload of 750,000, estimated income support expenditure for this group was £1.3 billion; for housing benefit estimated expenditure was £400 million, of which some £300 million was for those with income support and £100 million for those without.

Notes:

  1. 1. Caseloads have been rounded to the nearest 5,000.
  2. 2. Expenditure has been rounded to the nearest £100 million.

  1. 3. One parent families are not included as part of the total.
  2. 4. No expenditure and forecast figures are available.
  3. 5. The data sources are the Income Support Statistical Enquiry and the Housing Benefit and Community Charge Benefit Annual 1 per cent. sample for May 1992.