§ Ms LynneTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will list(a) the number of income support claimants with deductions from benefit and (b) the average amount of deduction for each category of deduction for (i) 1988 and (ii) the latest date available adopting the figures contained in his Department's annual statistical inquiry. [622]
§ Mr. Roger EvansThe information is set out in the tables.
31W
Deduction2 Number of claimants3 Average amount £ DEDUCTION FROM INCOME SUPPORT: 19881 Electricity 152,000 9.22 Gas 152,000 8.59 Mortgage Interest 7,000 24.20 Service charges for fuel and water included in rent 18,000 4.65 Rent arrears and other housing costs 94,000 2.39 Board and lodging direct 10,000 61.18 Recovery of overpayment 66,000 3.40 Social fund loan recovery 31,000 5.24 Other deductions 6,000 4.56 DEDUCTION FROM INCOME SUPPORT: 1994 Electricity: Current charges only 27,000 8.62 Including arrears4 44,000 11.99 Gas: Current charges only 36,000 7.62 Including arrears4 185,000 10.49 Mortgage Interest: Current costs only5 294,000 32.23 Arrears cases4 137,000 52.70
Deduction2 Number of claimants3 Average amount £ Water and Sewerage: Current charges only 22,000 3.41 Including arrears4 217,000 5.83 Rent arrears and other housing costs: Current charges only 14,000 58.82 Including arrears4 151,000 4.90 Community charge higher arrears only 27,000 3.59 Community charge lower arrears only 432,000 2.29 Council tax arrears only 33,000 2.30 Fines recovery 8,000 2.30 Child support 34,000 2.33 Recovery of overpayment 115,000 4.09 Social fund loan recovery 663,000 6.37 Notes:
1Figures for 1988 include cases with deductions for current charges plus those with deductions for arrears.
2Claimants can have more than one type of deduction.
3Figures are rounded to the nearest thousand.
4This category includes cases with current cost deductions.
5Debt in mortgage interest cases not a prerequisite for deductions to occur.
Source:
"Income Support Statistics Annual Enquiry 1988" and "Quarterly Enquiry November 1994"