HC Deb 30 July 1997 vol 299 c367W
Mr. Hancock

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what assessment she has made of the numbers and proportion of unemployed persons who are not in receipt of any social security benefit. [10434]

Mr. Keith Bradley

In 1995–96, there were on average about 600,000 persons who were unemployed and not receiving any social security benefit excluding child benefit. This represents about one in four of the total number of persons unemployed. Approximately 70 per cent. of these had working partners or shared a household containing at least one working person.

The Government believe that work is the best form of welfare for people of working age. Our welfare-to-work objectives are to provide work incentives, reduce poverty and welfare dependency and strike a new balance between responsibilities and rights.

Note:

An approximation to the International Llabour Organisation definition of unemployed was used.