§ Mr. SwinneyTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will estimate the cost of bringing benefit levels for people under 25 years in line with benefit levels for people aged over 25 years in(a) the United Kingdom and (b) Scotland. [106576]
§ Mr. BayleyThe information is not available in the format requested. Such information as is available is in the tables.
We are unable to estimate with any accuracy the cost of bringing Housing Benefit levels for the under-25s up to the 25 years and over levels. There is insufficient quantitative information on how this group responded to the change introduced in 1996, and without this information we cannot estimate the behavioural effects of reversing the change.
169W
Costs for Great Britain £ million Age group New entitlement Existing case load Total 16–17 25 45 70 18–24 10 180 190 Total 35 225 260
Costs for Scotland included in the figures for Great Britain Age group New entitlement Existing case load Total 16–17 0 5 5 18–24 0 45 45 Total 5 50 50 Notes:
1. Data are for Great Britain not the UK, as the Secretary of State for Social Security is not responsible for Social Security in Northern Ireland.
2. Figures have been rounded to the nearest £5 million.
3. There are costs of less than £5 million for new entitlement Scotland. Totals do not match due to rounding.
Sources:
1. Estimates from the Family Resources Survey of 1996–97, uprated to 1999–2000.
2. Data from the Quarterly Statistical Enquiry of August 1999.