HC Deb 23 June 1997 vol 296 cc413-4W
Mr. Llew Smith

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many households to date are currently in receipt of below average income(a) nationally and (b) by regions. [866]

Mr. Keith Bradley

Reforming the welfare state will be one of our key priorities. We will modernise the welfare system to reduce poverty and social division.

The DSS series "Households Below Average Income" reports the numbers of individuals in households below average income rather than the numbers of households.

The information in the table shows the numbers of individuals living in households with below national average income. Figures are provided both on income before housing costs are deducted (BHC) and on income after housing costs are deducted (AHC), in line with DSS conventions on income statistics.

The latest estimates for the United Kingdom are for 1993–94 and 1994–95 financial years combined—shown in the table as "1993–94"—and are based on data from the Family Expenditure Survey (FES). The FES sample is not sufficiently large to allow regional analysis but regional estimates are available from the Family Resources Survey (FRS) for 1994–95. The FRS has a very much larger sample but does not include Northern Ireland.

No allowance has been made for any regional variations in the cost of living.

Numbers of individuals living in households with below average income (millions)
Numbers—BHC Numbers—AHC
1993–94
United Kingdom 36.0 35.5
Great Britain (FES) 35.0 34.5
1994–95
Great Britain (FRS) 34.8 34.4
England 29.8 29.5
Wales 1.9 1.8
Scotland 3.1 3.0
Government Office region
North-east 1.9 1.9
North-west 3.9 3.7
Merseyside 0.7 0.7
Yorkshire and the Humber 3.5 3.4
East Midlands 2.7 2.6
West Midlands 3.4 3.4
Eastern 3.0 3.1
London 3.8 3.9
South-east 3.8 3.9
South-west 3.0 3.0

Note:

Numbers may not add to national totals because of rounding.

Source:

DSS 'Households Below Average Income' (HBAI) datasets, from Family Expenditure Survey and Family Resources Survey.

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