§ Mr. ColemanTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) if she will make a statement on the numbers of claimants affected by the changes to council tax benefit regulations introduced on 1 April; [47424]
(2) how many households in London have been affected by the changes to council tax benefit regulations introduced on 1 April; and what percentage of the total this figure represents. [47425]
§ Mr. Keith BradleyAn estimated 8,000 claimants will be affected by the restriction of Council Tax Benefit in properties in Band F and above in 1998/99. The long-run estimate of those affected is 66,000.
Information for those households affected in London is not available. However, in Greater London the long-term estimate of those claimants affected is 28,000. This represents approximately 40 per cent. of the total affected by the changes.