§ Mrs. EwingTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many people are currently dependent on means-tested benefits; and how many were in(a) 1978–79, (b) 1979–80, (c) 1981–82, (d) 1982–83, (e) 1986–87, (f) 1987–88, (g) 1991–92, (h) 1992–93, (i) 1996–97 and (j) 1997–98. [43919]
§ Mr. Keith BradleyThe information is not available in the format requested. Such data as are available are set out in the tables.
Beneficiaries of means tested benefits Year Supplementary Benefit1 Family Income Supplement1 1978–79 4,598,000 313,000 1979–80 4,370,000 n/a 1981–82 6,121,000 382,000 1982–83 7,070,000 526,000 1986–87 8,291,000 723,000 1987–88 8,205,000 794,000 1 Family Credit replaced Family Income Supplement in April 1988. Income Support replaced Supplementary Benefit in April 1988
Beneficiaries of one or more means tested benefit Year Beneficiaries in benefit units with one or more means-tested benefit 1991–92 13,650,000 1992–93 14,550,000 1996–97 15,070,000 Notes:
1. Means tested benefits are Income Support, Income based Jobseeker's Allowance, Family Credit, Disability Working Allowance, Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit.
2. Beneficiaries are defined as the claimant, their partner and any dependants.
3. Figures for one or more means tested benefit are rounded to the nearest ten thousand. All other figures are rounded to the nearest thousand.
4. Figures on one or more means-tested benefit are for May of each year and refer to benefit units, which may be a single person or a couple. Family Income Supplement data is given as at December 1978 for 1978–79, and April of each year thereafter. Figures are not held for 1979–80. Supplementary Benefit figures are for November in 1978–79 and 1979–80, December for 1981–82 and 1982–83, February 1986 for 1986–87, and May 1987 for 1987–88.
5. Overlap between benefits has been taken into account.
6. Adult dependants are defined as the partner of the claimant.
7. Family Income Supplement figures include estimates. Housing Benefit/Council Tax Benefit figures include estimates due to the data collection procedures in Scotland.
8. Disability Working Allowance was introduced in April 1992.
9. Income-based Jobseeker's Allowance replaced Income Support for the unemployed from October 1996.
10. Council Tax Benefit replaced Community Charge Benefit in April 1993.
11. Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit figures exclude cases where there is no entitlement because of non-dependant deductions.
12. Council Tax Benefit cases do not include second adult rebate cases.
13. Figures are not available on all means-tested benefits for 1997 therefore no figure is quoted for 1997–98.
252W14. Data on Housing Benefit and previous schemes providing financial assistance with domestic rent and rates cannot be broken down prior to 1988. Prior to 1983 financial assistance with rent and rates was provided under two separate schemes-Supplementary Benefit and the Local Authority rent rebate allowance schemes. Data on the Local Authority schemes are not available.
15. Samples sizes:
Supplementary Benefit: Supplementary pension cases 1 in 200;
Supplementary Allowance cases 1 in 50;
Income Support: 1 per cent. up to and including 1992, 5 per cent. thereafter;
Family Income Supplement: 10 per cent.;
Family Credit: 5 per cent.;
Disability Working Allowance: 100 per cent.;
Housing Benefit & Council Tax Benefit: 1 per cent.
16. n/a denotes not available.
Source:
1. Supplementary Benefit Annual Statistical Inquiries, 1978, 1979, 1981, 1982, 1986 and 1987.
2. Income Support Statistics Quarterly Inquiries, May 1991, May 1992 and May 1996.
3. Family Credit Statistics Quarterly Inquiry, November 1997.
4. Disability Working Allowance 100 per cent. count of claims.
5. Housing Benefit Management Information Statistics, annual 1 per cent. sample inquiries without Income Support taken at the end of May in each year given. Social Security Statistics, 1978, 1981, 1982, 1987 and 1988.