§ Mr. Malcolm BruceTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is his estimate of the savings to the Exchequer from the lower rate of income support benefit payable to those aged between 18 and 25 years. [22407]
§ Mr. Roger Evans[Pursuant to his reply 9 May Official Report column 391]: The information I gave regarding the current annual cost of raising the income support rate for 18 to 24-year olds was incorrect due to a typographical error. The correct information is as follows.
The current annual cost of raising the income support rate for 18 to 24 year olds to that payable for single people aged 25 and above would be about £420 million.
Notes:
1. The figure is based on the 1990, 1991, 1992 Family Expenditure Surveys, uprated to 1995–96 prices and benefit levels.
2. The figure includes the additional cost of linked increases in housing benefit and council tax benefit.