§ Mr. FieldTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will list the numbers of individuals currently living in households claiming one or more means-tested benefit and the estimated figures for(a) five and (b) 10 years hence. [58135]
§ Angela EagleThe information is not available in the form requested. The number of beneficiaries of one or more means-tested benefit totalled 14,490,000, as at May 1997.
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 are rounded to the nearest ten thousand.
4. Overlap between benefits have been taken into account.
5. Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit figures exclude cases where there is no entitlement because of non-dependant deductions.
6. Council Tax Benefit cases do not include second adult rebate cases.
7. Sample sizes:
Income Support: 5 per cent
Family Credit: 5 per cent
Disability Working Allowance: 100 per cent
Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit: 1 per cent.
Sources:
1. Income Support Statistics Quarterly Enquiry, May 1997.
2. Jobseeker's Allowance Statistics Quarterly Enquiry, May 1997.
3. Family Credit Statistics Quarterly Enquiry.
4. Disability Working Allowance 100 per cent. count of claims.
5. Housing Benefit Management Information System, annual 1 per cent. sample enquiries without Income Support taken at the end of May 1997.