§ Mr. Geoffrey RobinsonTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) how many people in England and Wales collected(a) income support, (b)
Customers paid by automated credit transfer Benefits 1989–90 1990–91 1991–92 1992–93 Thousands 1993–94 Income Support1 — — — — 44 Family Credit 37 53 76 91 105 Child Benefit 1,297 1,407 1,505 1,595 1,708 Retirement pension and widows pension2 1,982 2,160 2,392 2,671 3,232 Invalidity Benefit3 — — — 12 90 Unemployment Benefit4 — — — — 109 Notes: 1 The option to have Income Support paid by ACT came into effect in w/c 31 October 1993. 2 No separate figures are available for payments of Retirement Pension and Widows Pension. 3 The option to have Invalidity Benefit (IVB) paid by ACT came into effect in w/c 31 May 1993. Figures available showing the number of payments by IVB are combined with Sickness Benefit and Severe Disablement Allowance Figures. 4 The option to have Unemployment Benefit paid by ACT came into effect in w/c 20 September 1993. These figures have been obtained from the Employment Service Agency.