HC Deb 21 July 1997 vol 298 cc472-3W
Mr. Prior

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if she will list(a) the categories of people in receipt of cyclical social security, (b) the number of recipients in each category and (c) the total amount paid or forecast to be paid for each year between 1995 and 2002. [6809]

Case Load (000s) Expenditure (£ million)
Category 1995–96 1995–96 1996–97 1997–98 1998–99 1999–2000
Unemployed
Unemployment benefit 433 1,102 574 0 0 0
Income support 1,656 4,823 2,212 0 0 0
Jobseeker's allowance—(contribution based) 0 0 425 619 619 626
Jobseeker's allowance—(income based) 0 0 2,414 4,150 3,848 3,673
Lone parents
Income support 1,060 4,265 4,205 4,344 4,363 4,453
Short-term sick
Income support 163 364 390 446 478 509
Long-term sick and disabled
Income support 808 2,858 2,984 3,378 3,723 4,098
Widows and others
Income support 251 494 531 577 608 648
Total cyclical social security 4,236 13,906 13,736 13,515 13,638 14,008

1. Figures for expenditure have been taken from the 1997 social security departmental report, tables 1, 4 and 5, and are given in £ millions. Estimates of expenditure for the years 2000–01 and 2001–02 are not available.

2. Figures for case load are based on data collected in February and are given in thousands. They are consistent with those given in tables 6 and 7 in the 1997 social security departmental report. Figures split by broad groups of recipients are not available for years after 1995–96 on the same basis. It is estimated that in 1995–96 135,000 people received both income support and unemployment benefit.

3. Figures given may not sum due to rounding.

4. Income support paid to a person aged 60 and above is treated as part of the social security control total—i.e. it is not cyclical social security—irrespective of whether that person would also fit one of the other categories listed in the table.

Mr. Prior

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is her Department's definition of cyclical social security. [6810]

Mr. Bradley

Cyclical social security is defined as the jobseeker's allowance and income support paid to people under the age of 60.