§ Mr. WicksTo ask the Secretary of state for Social Security how many families have been eligible for, and what has been the cost to public funds of,(a) family income supplement and (b) family credit since their introduction.
§ Mr. Roger EvansInformation is not available on the total numbers eligible for the two benefits.
The table provides details of the number of families receiving either family income supplement or family credit in each year since 1971 and the benefit expenditure for each financial year.
Financial year Families in receipt2 000's Cost3 £ million Family Income Supplement (FIS)1 1971–72 55 4 1972–73 92 10 1973–74 106 13 1974–75 79 12 1975–76 63 12 1976–77 71 18 1977–78 81 25 1978–79 89 24 1979–80 74 27 1980–81 89 42 1981–82 124 66 1982–83 158 94 1983–84 204 123 1984–85 207 126 1985–86 201 130 1986–87 220 161 1987–88 224 180 Family Credit1 1988–89 281 394 1989–90 319 425 1990–91 327 494 1991–92 353 626 1992–93 448 929 1993–94 515 1,091 Notes: 1 Family Income Supplement was introduced in August 1971 and replaced by family credit in April 1988. 2 Source: —for 1971–72 to 1973–74 based on a 20 per cent. sample of awards. —for 1974–75 to 1987–88 based on a 10 per cent. sample of awards. —for 1988–89 to 1993–94 based on a 5 per cent. sample of awards. Figures given are for September in each financial year with the exception of 1987–88 where the figure is for October. 3 Source: Various editions of the public expenditure White Paper and departmental report.