§ Mr. WebbTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will estimate the cost of reintroducing(a) lone parent family premium in Income Support, (b) lone parent rate of Child Benefit and (c) both of the above at their real level as at April 1997. [137055]
§ Angela EagleThe information is in the table.
£ million Estimated annual long run cost Reintroducing lone parent premium in income related benefits 150 Reintroducing lone parent rate of child benefit 110 Total 260 Notes:
487W
- 1. Long run costs are expressed at 2001–02 levels assuming no lone parents are currently in receipt of the lone parent family premium, or the lone parent rate of Child Benefit.
- 2. Costs are rounded to the nearest £10 million.
- 3. It is assumed that reintroducing the lone parent family premium in Income Support implies the reintroduction of the equivalent premia for Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit and Jobseekers' Allowance (IB).
- 4. Income Support, Jobseekers' Allowance, Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit lone parent premia are uprated by ROSSI from April 1997 to April 2001 levels. The lone parent Child Benefit rate is uprated by RPI from April 1997 to April 2001 levels.
- 5. The Child Benefit and family premium rates in the income related benefits have increased in real terms since April 1997. If these rates had not increased in real terms, then the cost of reintroducing the lone parent premium in income related benefits, and lone parent rate of Child Benefit would have increased to some £500 million in the long run, assuming the current caseloads remain constant.