HC Deb 06 February 1996 vol 271 cc172-3W
Mr. Chisholm

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will detail for each of the years between 1982–83 and 1995–96(a) the total cost of housing benefit in Scotland paid to (i) tenants of new towns, Scottish Homes and local authorities, (ii) tenants of housing associations and (iii) tenants of private landlords and (b) the number of households in Scotland receiving housing benefit in each of the above categories. [11140]

Mr. Roger Evans

The available information is set out in the table.

The cost of Housing Benefit and the number of recipients, for Scotland 1983–84 to 1994–95
Average number of housing benefit recipients (000s) Housing benefit expenditure (£ million)
Financial years Local authority tenants (including new towns and Scottish Homes) All private tenants (including HA tenants) HA tenants Other private tenants (ex HA tenants) Local authority tenants (including new towns and Scottish Homes) All private tenants (including HA tenants) HA tenants Other private tenants (ex HA tenants)
1989–90 478 79 n/a n/a 415 113 n/a n/a
1990–91 467 76 n/a n/a 455 119 n/a n/a
1991–92 466 76 n/a n/a 505 136 n/a n/a
1992–93 460 83 22 61 558 169 35 134
1993–94 457 93 30 63 600 202 48 154
1994–95 445 104 35 69 619 239 62 177

Notes:

1. Figures for recipients have been rounded to the nearest thousand and are averages of four quarters data. Expenditure figures have been rounded to the nearest £ million.

2. Figures for recipients refer to benefit units which may be a single person or a couple.

3. Expenditure figures are not available for 1982–83.

4. Information on Housing Benefit recipients on Scotland is not available prior to 1988–89.

5. Information on the number of housing association tenants was not collected prior to May 1992.

6. Housing association expenditure figures have been estimated from a one per cent. sample of recipients.

Source:

Recipients: housing benefit management information system, quarterly 100 per cent. caseload enquiries taken on the last working day in May, August, November and February.

Expenditure: Department of Social Security planning and finance division.

Mr. Watson

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many young single people aged 16 to 24 years(a) living in the private rented sector and (b) living in self-contained private rented sector accommodation in Scotland currently receive housing benefit; and in each case at what cost. [11161]

Mr. Evans

The latest available figures show that, as at May 1994, there were 15,000 recipients of housing benefit in Scotland who were aged 16 to 24 and living in privately rented accommodation; the estimated total cost of housing benefit paid to this group during the 1994–95 financial year was £41 million. Information is not routinely collected to differentiate between self-contained and non self-contained accommodation.