HL Deb 24 February 1998 vol 586 cc93-4WA
Lord Newton of Braintree

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether they will give the estimate of savings expected from Clause 72 of the Social Security Bill, broken down (a) by individual benefits; and (b) by categories of claimant. [HL236]

Baroness Hollis of Heigham

The information requested is set out in the tables.

Estimated Savings by Benefit
£ million
1998–99 1999–2000 2000–01
Retirement Pension 6 8 8
Incapacity Benefit 3 4 4
Invalid Care Allowance 8 10 10

Estimated Savings by Benefit
£ million
1998–99 1999–2000 2000–01
Industrial Injuries
Disablement Benefit 1 1 1
Contribution-based
Jobseeker's Allowance 4 5 5
Income
Support/Income-based
Jobseeker's Allowance 7 8 8
Child Benefit/One Parent Benefit 6 7 7
Housing
Benefit/Council Tax Benefit 7 15 15
Total 42 58 58

Estimated Savings by categories of Claimant
£ million
1998–99 1999–2000 2000–01
Elderly 10 14 14
Long-term sick and disabled 6 8 8
Carers 8 10 10
Lone parents 8 10 10
Unemployed 10 16 16
Others 0 0 0
Total 42 58 58

Notes:

1. The estimated savings relate to the proposed measure in the Social Security Bill to reduce the maximum amount of backdating of benefit claims from three months to one month.

2. Estimates are based on an ad hoc survey of backdated benefit claims undertaken during 1996 uprated in line with departmental forecasts of benefit expenditure. The savings are in addition to those estimated for the April 1997 changes which reduced the maximum amount of backdating of benefit claims to three months and benefit reviews to one month. There may be additional savings for benefits not covered in the above tables, but these have not been estimated. The ad hoc survey of backdated claims was limited to those benefits accounting for a significant amount of social security expenditure, so it is not possible to provide estimates for the smaller benefits.

3. Allocation of benefit savings to client groups is in accordance with the convention used in Tables 4 and 5 of the 1997 departmental report. Income support, housing benefit and council tax benefit savings are divided between the expected beneficiaries.