HL Deb 04 February 1998 vol 585 cc121-2WA
Lord Morris of Manchester

asked Her Kajesty's Government:

What was the expenditure on each social security benefit for disabled people in each year from 1978–79 to 1996–97 prices; and what amount and proportion of the increased expenditure was due to (a) the increase in real value of each benefit (b) the increase in the number of beneficiaries; and (c) other factors. [HL212]

Baroness Hollis of Heigham

The information is not available in the format requested. Such information as is available is as follows.

The expenditure on each social security benefit for disabled people in each year from 1978–9 to 1996–97 (in 96/97 prices) is shown in the attached Table 1.

The majority of the increase in expenditure on the main disability benefits is accounted for by caseload growth, as Table 2 illustrates.

Table 1: Expenditure on disability benefits from 1978–79 to 1996–97 (1996–97 prices)
£ million
AA ICA SDA MA DLA DWA
1978–79 517 12 212 145 0 0
1979–80 530 11 224 208 0 0
1980–81 579 11 241 278 0 0
1981–82 670 12 264 351 0 0
1982–83 764 15 292 447 0 0
1983–84 897 18 330 551 0 0
1984–85 994 19 407 614 0 0
1985–86 1.122 21 435 690 0 0
1986–87 1.237 165 452 816 0 0
1987–88 1,352 277 445 898 0 0
1988–89 1,418 245 447 954 0 0
1989–90 1,530 242 457 1,016 0 0
1990–91 1,690 254 524 1,080 0 0
1991–92 1,961 327 685 1,220 0 0
1992–93 1,714 381 706 75 2,177 3
1993–94 1,925 474 754 0 2,972 8
1994–95 2,073 556 819 0 3,299 12
1995–96 2,255 634 843 0 3,907 20
1996–97 2,421 768 893 0 4,361 25

Key:

AA = Attendance Allowance, ICA = Invalid Care Allowance, SDA = Severe Disablement Allowance, MA = Mobility Allowance, DLA = Disability Living Allowance, DWA = Disability Working Allowance.

Source:

1997 DSS Departmental Report and earlier equivalent publications.

Notes:

1. The definition of disability benefit is consistent with the departmental report published in March 1997.

2. Invalid Care Allowance is included, although it is not itself paid to disabled people. It is a benefit that is paid to those caring for certain categories of disabled people.

Table 2: Percentage growth in expenditure (real terms 96/97 prices) and the percentage growth in caseload for certain major disability benefits
Benefit in 1987/79 Equivalent benefit in 1996/97 Percentage growth in expenditure (real terms 96/97 prices) Percentage growth in caseload
Mobility Allowance Disability Living Allowance (DLA)Higher Rate Mobility Component 1410 per cent. 1140 per cent.
Attendance Allowance (AA) AA and DLA Higher or Middle Rate Care Component 700 per cent. 650 per cent.
Invalid Care Allowance (ICA) ICA 6300 per cent. 5900 per cent.

Sources:

1. Social Security statistics various years, analytical Services Division 1 Quarterly publications.

2. 1997 DSS Departmental Report and earlier equivalent publications.