HC Deb 16 July 1996 vol 281 cc505-6W
Mrs. Dunwoody

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will list the number of claimants of(a) incapacity benefits, (b) disability living allowance, (c) attendance allowance and (d) disability working allowance in (i) Crewe and Nantwich and (ii) Cheshire for each of the last five years. [36345]

Mr. Burt

This is a matter for Peter Mathison, chief executive of the Benefits Agency. He will write to the hon. Member.

Letter from Peter Mathison to Mrs. Gwyneth Dunwoody, dated 15 July 1996: The Secretary of State for Social Security has asked me to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question asking if he will list the number of claimants of (a) Incapacity Benefits, (b) Disability Living Allowance, (c) Attendance Allowance and (d) Disability Working Allowance in (i) Crewe and Nantwich and (ii) Cheshire for each of the last five years. The information is not available in the format requested. Such information as is available is shown in Annex A, B and C. I hope you find this reply helpful.

Annex A

Incapacity Benefit (IB) Statistical data for IB claims is collated at District level, the boundaries of which do not correspond with constituency boundaries or specific geographical areas. South Cheshire District includes the BA's offices of Chester, Crewe (which covers Nantwich), Ellesmere Port and Northwich. Figures for this District are shown in the following list:

  • 1991–1992: 19,675
  • 1992–1993: 22,334
  • 1993–1994: 23,756
  • 1994–1995: 25,552
  • 1995–1996: 26,929
Cheshire covers the following BA Districts South Cheshire, Sale and East Cheshire, North Cheshire, Stockport and Tameside District Offices. Figures for these Districts are shown in the following list:
  • 1991–1992: 73,389
  • 1992–1993: 83,574
  • 1993–1994: 90,926
  • 1994–1995: 97,258
  • 1995–1996: 101,040
All figures are provisional and subject to change.

Annex B

Disability Living Allowance (DLA) The figures for DLA are rounded to the nearest hundred and are only available for the latest four years. This is because the data for 1992 would not be reliable due to the conversion of existing Attendance Allowance and Mobility Allowance data onto the new DLA computer system. The figures refer to successful claims only. The totals of unsuccessful claims are not available.

1993 1994 1995 1996
Crewe and Nantwich 2,000 2,100 2,600 2,900
Cheshire 23,700 25,600 29,900 33,200

Figures as at 31 May each year.

Attendance Allowance (AA) The figures for AA are rounded to the nearest hundred and are only available for the latest two years only due to incomplete post code information held on system prior to this date. The figures refer to successful claims only. The totals of unsuccessful claims are not available.

1995 1996
Crewe and Nantwich 2,400 2,400
Cheshire 19,200 18,900

1995 figures at 30 November 1995 due to data problems associated with on-line conversion to the computer system.

1996 figures as at 31 May 1996.

All figures are provisional and subject to change.

Annex C

Disability Working Allowance (DWA) Statistical data for DWA claims is collated at BA office level, the boundaries of which do not correspond with constituency boundaries or specific geographical areas. The following figures refer to successful claims only. The totals of unsuccessful claims are not available. The figures are given in the form of cumulative successful claims since 1992:

  • Crewe BA office: 37
  • Cheshire: 281
  • The BA office at Crewe covers Nantwich.
  • Cheshire includes details for the following local offices: Chester, Crewe, Ellesmere Port, Hyde, Macclesfield, Manchester/Sale, Northwich, Stockport North, Stockport South, Warrington, Widnes and Wilmslow.
All figures given are provisional and subject to amendment.