Income Support (Hansard, 6 July 1995)

§ Mr. Ian McCartney
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many income support and unemployment benefit claimants have(a) successfully and (b) unsuccessfully claimed income support under the hardship rules for each region and for Great Britain as a whole for each quarter since April 1994, indicating those whose claim was in doubt due to their (i) not actively seeking work and (ii) availability for work. [32594]

§ Mr. Roger Evans
The information is set out in the table.
359W

Income Support hardship decisions 1994–95

Quarter 1994 Region¹ Awarded Actively seeking² Refused Awarded Availability³ Refused

July—September SE 100 100 400 700

W and CE 200 200 300 200

S and NE — 100 200 200

Total⁴ 300 400 800 1,000

October—December SE 100 100 400 700

W and CE 300 400 300 300

S and NE — 100 100 200

Total⁴ 400 700 900 1,200

January—March⁵ SE 100 400 700 700

W and CE 400 700 300 300

S and NE 100 100 100 300

Total⁴ 600 1,200 1,100 1,300

¹ The regions are: Southern England (SE); Wales and Central England (W and CE); and Scotland and North East (S and NE).

² Awards or refusals of hardship payments under Income Support (General) Regulation 10A to those not actively seeking work.

³ Awards or refusals of hardship payments under Income Support (General) Regulation 8 to those not available for work.

⁴ Figures are rounded to the nearest 100; therefore totals are not necessarily the sum of the regional figures.

⁵ Figures for January—March 1995 are provisional and subject to change.

§ Mr. Milburn
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will give the number of people claiming income support by(a) gender and (b) age for each region and nation in the United Kingdom in (i) May 1994 and (ii) the latest month for which figures are available. [32983]

§ Mr. Burt
I have placed a copy of the information in the Library.

§ Mr. Milburn
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many severe hardship(a) claims and (b) awards were made in each (i) district and (ii) area directorate in each of the last five years for which figures are available. [32978]

§ Mr. Roger Evans
The information is not readily available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

Income Support hardship decisions 1994–95
Quarter 1994	Region¹	Awarded	Actively seeking² Refused	Awarded	Availability³ Refused
July—September	SE	100	100	400	700
	W and CE	200	200	300	200
	S and NE	—	100	200	200
	Total⁴	300	400	800	1,000
October—December	SE	100	100	400	700
	W and CE	300	400	300	300
	S and NE	—	100	100	200
	Total⁴	400	700	900	1,200
January—March⁵	SE	100	400	700	700
	W and CE	400	700	300	300
	S and NE	100	100	100	300
	Total⁴	600	1,200	1,100	1,300
¹ The regions are: Southern England (SE); Wales and Central England (W and CE); and Scotland and North East (S and NE).
² Awards or refusals of hardship payments under Income Support (General) Regulation 10A to those not actively seeking work.
³ Awards or refusals of hardship payments under Income Support (General) Regulation 8 to those not available for work.
⁴ Figures are rounded to the nearest 100; therefore totals are not necessarily the sum of the regional figures.
⁵ Figures for January—March 1995 are provisional and subject to change.