§ Mr. MorleyTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will estimate the effect on public revenues and claimant numbers in 1996–97 and 1997–98 of reducing the taper for the withdrawal of housing benefit to(a) 60 per cent. and (b) 50 per cent. [18231]
§ Mr. Roger EvansThe information is set out in the table.
Estimated cost of reducing the housing benefit taper Cost (£ million) Increase in Housing Benefit caseload (000s) Taper 1996–97 1997–98 1996–97 1997–98 60 per cent. 160 175 35 35 50 per cent. 550 595 160 160 1. Estimates based on the family expenditure su0rveys of 1991, 1992 and 1993, uprated to 1996–97 or 1997–98 prices and benefit levels.
2. Estimates of costs are rounded to the nearest £5 million.
3. Estimates of caseloads are rounded to the nearest 5,000.