HC Deb 24 November 1995 vol 267 cc352-5W
Ms Lynne

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what are the latest figures available for people claiming income support(a) by gender, (b) by region, (c) by marital status, (d) with dependants and (e) in total; what were the equivalent figures for 1979; and if he will make a statement. [1082]

Mr. Roger Evans

The information is not available in the format requested. Such information as is available is set out in the tables.

Direct comparisons cannot be made between supplementary benefit and income support as their structure and scope differ considerably.

Income support families without dependants by gender, region and marital status
All cases Cases without dependants
Region All couples Single male Single female
England 1,994,000 n/a n/a n/a
Scotland 2,30,000 n/a n/a n/a
Wales 1,42,000 n/a n/a n/a
Great Britain 2,367,000 397,000 486,000 1,484,000

Notes:

1. Single include separated, temporary separated, widowed, divorced and prisoners' partners.

2. Figures are rounded to the nearest thousand. Due to rounding some of the totals may not tally.

3. A dependant is defined as under the age of 19.

4. No regional breakdown is available for 1979 for cases without dependants.

Source: Supplementary Benefit Statistics Annual Enquiry November 1979.

Income Support Statistics Quarterly Enquiry November 1994.

Mr. Bradley

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many claimants of income support with a disability premium payable on incapacity grounds are currently exempt from the all-work test by virtue of(a) receipt of the highest rate of the disability living allowance care component, (b) in receipt of the premium and aged over 58 years on 13 April 1995, (c) with a serious medical condition and (d) a serious mental illness. [1834]

Mr. Evans

The information requested is not available. Information on the number of income support recipients who qualify to be treated as incapable of work without having to take the all-work test because of receipt of the highest rate of the care component of the disability living allowance will be available at a later date.

Mr. Bradley

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many families on income support receive(a) the disabled child premium and (b) the lone parent premium; and how many who receive the lone parent premium also receive the disabled premium. [1838]

Mr. Evans

In November 1994, the latest date for which figures are available, 48,000 families on income support had been awarded the disabled child premium, 1,043,000 families had the lone parent premium and 25,000 families had both premiums.

Notes:

All figures have been rounded to the nearest thousand.

Source:

Income Support Quarterly Enquiry.

Mr. Bradley

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many people are currently receiving income support urgent cases payment; and how many of these also receive(a) a disability premium and (b) a disabled child premium. [1841]

Mr. Evans

As of November 1994, the latest date for which figures are available, 63,000 claimants were receiving income support urgent case payments. Of these, 2,000 claimants were awarded the disability premium and the number with an award of disabled child premium was negligible.

Mr. Bradley

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what how many claimants of income support are working 16 or more hours per week but treated as not in remunerative work because earnings or hours are reduced to 75 per cent. of a non-disabled person. [1756]

Mr. Evans

The information is not available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

Mr. Bradley

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many people currently in receipt of disability premium payable with(a) income support, (b) housing benefit and (c) council tax are also in receipt of earnings. [1757]

Mr. Evans

The information is set out in the table.

Recipients
Income support 12,000
Housing benefit 22,000
Council tax benefit 32,000

Notes:

1. Figures refer to the number of benefit units which could be a single person or a couple.

2. Earnings could be declared by either the claimant or their partner.

3. Figures given may include recipients who are in receipt of more than one of the benefits listed.

Source:

Income Support Quarterly Enquiry: May 1994.

Housing Benefit Management Information System annual 1 per cent. sample taken May 1994.

Mr. Bradley

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) if he will list the main disabling conditions of people currently in receipt of(a) incapacity benefit and (b) income support with a disability premium; [1750]

(2) if he will list the main disabling conditions of people who have been found capable of work between April and September 1995 who were previously in receipt of (a) incapacity benefit and (b) income support with a disability premium. [1753]

Mr. Evans

Information is not available in the format requested. Of the 800 categories of diagnosis recorded for incapacity claims the 20 most common are:

  1. 1. Backache
  2. 2. Depression (Unspecified)
  3. 3. Osteo Arthritis
  4. 4. Arthritis (Unspecified)
  5. 5. Ischaemia, of any kind
  6. 6. Angina
  7. 7. Spondylitis
  8. 8. Hypertension
  9. 9. Pain, other or unspecified
  10. 10. Injury to limb, face, neck, trunk, joint, or shoulder
  11. 11. Anxiety State
  12. 12. Asthma
  13. 13. Nervous Debility
  14. 14. Diabetes
  15. 15. Schizophrenia
    16. 355
  16. 16. Sciatica
  17. 17. Heart Disease
  18. 18. Multiple Sclerosis
  19. 19. Epilepsy
  20. 20. Invertebral disc, prolapsed, slipped, lesion.