HC Deb 25 May 1995 vol 260 cc699-700W
Mr. Chidgey

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what steps his Department are taking to inform family credit claimants of the extra money they are entitled from July for working full time. [25808]

Mr. Roger Evans

We plan to undertake extensive publicity to inform people about the new premium for working 30 hours or more a week on family credit and the associated extra help in housing benefit, council tax benefit and disability working allowance. People already receiving family credit or disability working allowance will receive a new claim pack shortly before their renewal claim is due to be made. The claim pack will advise them of the new premium.

We plan also to provide information to advisors of people likely to be affected to inform them of the new premium.

Notes:

  1. 1. Because approval for expenditure on the campaign cannot be given until regulations have been laid, we cannot be explicit at this stage on the form the advertising will take.
  2. 2. The new claim pack is planned to be available a few days in advance of the change.

Mr. Chidgey

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what percentage of family credit claims from employees currently take five working days to be dealt with from the time of the claim being received by his Department; and if he will give the figures for each working day up 30 working days. [25807]

Mr. Roger Evans

The administration of family credit is a matter for Mr. Ian Magee, the chief executive of the Benefits Agency. He will write to the hon. Member.

Letter from Ian Magee to Mr. David Chidgey, dated 25 May 1995: The Secretary of State for Social Security has asked me to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question about the clearance times of claims made by employees to Family Credit. The table below details the information that you have requested. Such figures are produced on a monthly basis and I have therefore provided information for the month ending 30 April 1995 which is the latest full month available. The figures provided relate only to employees and do not include claims made by self-employed people.

Days Percentage cleared
5 47.2
6 52.3
7 54.8
8 57.7
9 63.9
10 67.1
11 71.5
12 73.6
13 75.6
14 79.4
15 81.1
16 83.7
17 84.8
18 85.8
19 87.8
20 88.6
21 90.0
22 90.5
23 91.0
24 92.0
25 92.5
26 93.1
27 93.4
28 93.7
29 94.3
30 94.5

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