HC Deb 20 July 1994 vol 247 cc262-3W
Ms Harman

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will publish a table setting out for each year between 1988–89 and 1993–94 the number of claimants of rent rebate and rent allowance, divided into fair-rented and non-fair-rented housing association tenants and fair-rented and non-fair-rented private sector tenants; if, following the Treasury's Summer Economic Forecast 1994, he will publish projections for each of the years from 1994–95 to 1996–7; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Burt

[holding answer 14 July 1994]: The available information is in the table. The projections for 1994–95 to 1996–97 will be announced at the time of the Budget and will be published in due course in the departmental report.

sector accommodation, dividing the latter two groups into fair-rented and non-fair-rented accommodation; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Burt

[holding answer 14 July 1994]: The available information is in the table.

working but had earnings low enough to qualify for housing benefit; what proportion of total spending on each of these benefits is accounted for by unemployed claimants and those claimants who are working but have earnings low enough to qualify for housing benefit; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Hague

The available information is in the table.

1990 1991 1992
Unemployed Working Unemployed Working Unemployed Working
Rent Rebate 35,000 137,000 67,000 145,000 77,000 147,000
Housing Association — — — — 11,000 14,000
Private — — — — 64,000 65,000
Total Rent Allowance 20,000 67,000 54,000 69,000 75,000 79,000

Data source:

The Housing Benefit Management Information system annual one per cent. enquiries of May for each year.

Notes:

1. No information on the proportion of total expenditure is available.

2. Information for May 1988 and May 1989 is not available.

3. The figures have been rounded to the nearest one thousand.

4. The information relates to benefit units, a benefit unit may be a couple or a single person.

5. Unemployed has been defined as in receipt of Unemployment Benefit.

6. Claimants in receipt of Income Support and earnings have been excluded, therefore, the information includes Housing Benefit-only cases where either a claimant and/or partner receives earnings.

7. Information on Housing Association tenants was not collected before 1992.