§ Mr. BercowTo ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will provide a breakdown of how many people were in receipt of means-tested benefits and tax credits for each year since May 1997. [7787]
§ Malcolm WicksThe information is in the table.
1209WNotes:
1. For Income Support, Jobseeker's Allowance and Family Credit/Working Families Tax Credit figures are based on a 5 per cent. sample and are therefore subject to a degree of sampling error. Other data are taken from 100 per cent. counts.
2. Figures are for Great Britain and are rounded to the nearest thousand.
3. Some people may be entitled to more than one means-tested benefit. A large proportion of people receiving Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit, may also be receiving one of the other means-tested benefits/tax credits. Figures car not therefore be added together to produce a total.
4. The data refer to benefit units, which may be a single person or a couple.
5. The Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit totals for Great Britain include estimates for local authorities that have not responded. These estimates are based on historical and regional data. This type of estimate is standard practice in reporting totals where there have been non-respondents.
6. Council Tax Benefit totals exclude any Second Adult Rebate cases.
7. Housing Benefit figures exclude any Extended Payment cases.
Source:
Income Support Quarterly Statistical Enquiries, May 1997 to May 2001
Jobseeker's Allowance Quarterly Statistical Enquiries, May 1997 to May 2001
Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit Management Information System Quarterly 100 per cent. caseload stock-count taken in May of each year from 1997
Family Credit/Working Families Tax Credit, May 1997 to May 2001
Disability Working Allowance/Disabled Person Tax Credit May 1997 to May 2001