HC Deb 02 November 1998 vol 318 cc398-9W
Mr. Maclean

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what was the cost to his Department of welfare payments paid to(a) a single person and (b) a married man with two dependants who has been made redundant in the last years for which figures are available. [57507]

Angela Eagle

The information is not available in the format requested. Such information as is available is in the table.

Estimated expenditure Jobseeker's Allowance, 1997–98
£ million
Benefit Total expenditure Single Couple with 2 dependants
Jobseeker's Allowance (income-based) 3,377 2,213 280
Jobseeker's Allowance (contribution based only) 520 319 105
Housing Benefit with Jobseeker's Allowance 11,442 855 123
Council Tax Benefit with Jobseeker's Allowance 2,500 117 32

Notes:

1. Expenditure estimates for the individual group are a combination of sample benefit data and DSS expenditure estimates for 1997–98. Estimates of expenditure of Housing Benefit/Council Tax Benefit for those who are not claiming Jobseeker's Allowance (JSA) are not included.

2. We are unable to provide figures on married men with 2 dependants for JSA (c) as dependants' details are not always collected. As such, the figure provided represents all men with partners.

3. It is not possible to identify the sex of a claimant on Housing Benefit/Council Tax and therefore figures provided represent recipients who have a partner and two dependants.

4. We are unable to identify claimants that have been made redundant as this information is not recorded on the source system.

5. Figures are rounded to the nearest million pounds.

6. There is an overlap in the figures provided as most claimants receive both Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit.

7. Council Tax/Housing Benefit figures exclude JSA claimants receiving nil benefit.

Source:

JSA Quarterly Statistical Enquiry, May 1997, August 1997, November 1997 and February 1998–5 per cent. sample. Housing Benefit Management Information System, May 1997— annual 1 per cent. sample.