§ Mr. DenhamTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will list the benefits on receipt of which people may be credited with class 1 national insurance contributions; how many people were affected by this; and what is the cost to the Exchequer of crediting people with class 1 national insurance contributions by benefit type and in total. [1827]
§ Mr. HealdClass 1 national insurance credits may be awarded to people receiving unemployment benefit, incapacity benefit, severe disablement allowance, statutory sick pay, statutory maternity pay, maternity allowance, disability working allowance, invalid care allowance and, where the individual is sick or unemployed, with income support. Credits may also be awarded in cases of sickness and unemployment where no benefit is in payment. Estimates of the cost of credits to the Exchequer are not available. Estimates of the number of benefit recipients in the United Kingdom who were credited with at least one class 1 contribution in the tax year 1992–93 are in the table.
Number of people in the United Kingdom with at least one credited contribution in the tax year 1992–93 (UK) by type of benefit to which this relates Thousands1, 2 Type of benefit Number Unemployment benefit 35,083 Sickness benefit/invalidity benefit/maternity allowance/SDA/SSP/SMP 41,947 Invalid care allowance 220 Disability working allowance 3 Notes:
1 Figures have been rounded to the nearest thousand.
2 People credited with more than one type of credit are included in more than one of the above totals.
3 Includes unemployed people receiving income support and unemployed people not receiving benefit.
4 Includes sick people receiving income support and sick people not receiving benefit.
Source:
1 per cent. sample of national insurance records.