§ Lord Monkswellasked Her Majesty's Government:
What has been, at five-year intervals from 1945, the value of unemployment benefit expressed as a percentage of national average earnings. [HL523]
§ The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of Social Security (Baroness Hollis of Heigham)The information is not available in the format requested. Such information as is available is set out in the table.
Year Unemployment Benefit/Jobseeker's Allowance as a percentage of Full Time (Male) Average Manual Earnings Unemployment Benefit/Jobseeker's Allowance as a percentage of Full Time Average Adult Earnings (All Adults) 1948 19.1 percent. — 1950 17.3 per cent. — 1955 14.6 per cent. — 1960 17.2 per cent. — 1965 20.4 per cent. — 1970 18.7 per cent. 19.3 per cent. 1975 17.6 per cent. 18.2 per cent. 1980 18.5 per cent. 18.9 percent. 1985 18.6 per cent. 17.8 per cent. 1990 15.7 per cent. 14.2 per cent. 1995 15.9 per cent. 13.8 per cent. 1997 15.6 per cent. 13.4 per cent. Sources:
1. Average Manual earnings (Male) Up to 1970—the October Enquiry—men aged 21 and over.
2. 1970—April 1997—Office for National Statistics New Earnings Survey—full time male manual workers aged 21 and over.
3. Full Time Average Adult Earnings (All adults)—The New Earnings Survey from Office for National Statistics for all full time workers aged 21 and over.