§ Mr. WebbTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is the average weekly gross rent of people in rented accommodation in receipt of family credit; how many have weekly gross rents of (i) up to £9.99, (ii) £10–£19.99, (iii) £20–£29.99, (iv) £30–£39.99, (v) £40–£49.99, (vi) £50–£59.99, (vii) £60–£69.99, (viii) £70–£79.99 and (ix) £80 or above; and how many in each of these categories are also receiving housing benefit. [21786]
§ Mr. Keith Bradley[holding answer 19 December 1997]: According to the 1995–96 Family Resources Survey the average weekly rent eligible for Housing Benefit of Family Credit recipients was £45 (rounded to nearest £1).
Information about weekly rents eligible for Housing Benefit is shown in table A. Counts of Family Credit receipt derived from the Family Resources Survey do not match administrative sources. Therefore, the requested figures are shown as percentages rather than grossed up counts. Percentages are also used to show those within each band that are also in receipt of Housing Benefit. In addition the requested rent bands resulted in counts too low to be presented with any statistical reliability. In order to provide more reliable figures it has been necessary to enlarge the rent bands used.
Table B contains details of the average weekly eligible rent for Housing Benefit recipients who also receive Family Credit.
Table A: Weekly rents eligible for Housing Benefit Recipients of Family Credit Weekly rent eligible for Housing Benefit (£s) Percentage within each rent band Percentages within band in receipt of Housing Benefit Up to 29.99 21 42 30 to 39.99 30 59 40 to 49.99 22 73 50 to 69.99 15 79 70 or above 12 84 Total 100 1. The figures above refer to rent eligible for Housing Benefit. This is the rent paid by a benefit unit for accommodation after taking off certain service charges but before the deduction of Housing Benefit, if applicable. It does not include any local authority "maximum rent" adjustment.
2. The figures are based on information from the 1995–96 Family Resources Survey (FRS). The 1995–96 survey is the latest for which data are available.
3. The estimates are based on sample counts which have been adjusted for non-response using multi-purpose grossing factors which control for region, Council Tax Band and a number of demographic variables. Estimates are subject to sampling error and to variability in non response.
4. The figures refer to benefit units where the benefit unit to which the adult belongs is in receipt of Family Credit. A benefit unit is a single adult or couple living as married and any dependent children.
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Table B: Housing Benefit recipients who receive Family Credit, by average weekly eligible rent, within Great Britain—May 1996 Average weekly eligible rent (£s) Housing Benefit recipients with Family Credit Up to 9.99 1— 10.00 to 19.99 1— 20.00 to 29.99 16,000
Table B: Housing Benefit recipients who receive Family Credit, by average weekly eligible rent, within Great Britain—May 1996 Average weekly eligible rent (£s) Housing Benefit recipients with Family Credit 30.00 to 39.99 58,000 40.00 to 49.99 55,000 50.00 to 59.99 28,000 60.00 to 69.99 21,000 70.00 to 79.99 15,000 80.00 and over 20,000 Total (all cases) 213,000 1 Denotes nil or negligible. Source:
Housing Benefit Management Information System, annual 1 per cent. sample inquiries, with and without Income Support, taken at the end of May 1996.
Notes:
1. Information refers to Housing Benefit recipients who have Family Credit.
2. Eligible rent is the amount of weekly rent eligible for Housing Benefit.
3. The number of recipients have been rounded to the nearest thousand.
4. Figures refer to the number of benefit units.