HC Deb 01 March 2002 vol 380 cc1643-4W
Mr. Burns

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how much money has been saved by the social security budget in each of the last four years by the withholding of benefits for those who have been in hospital. [26808]

Number of young people aged 16 or under living in households where an adult is in receipt of certain disability benefits, and percentage of these individuals living in households with below 60 per cent. of median income
Percentage of young people aged 16 or under living with adults in receipt of benefits listed who are also in households with below 60 per cent. of median income Total number of young people aged under 16 living with adults in receipt of benefits listed
Adult in Household in receipt of: Before Housing Costs After Housing Costs
Incapacity Benefit 44 54 340,000
Disability Living Allowance 25 32 430,000

Notes: 1. All figures are estimates and are taken from the Family Resources Survey (FRS). The FRS does not include Northern Ireland, and 1999–2000 is the latest year for which data is available.

Mr. McCartney

[holding answer 15 January 2002]: The information requested is in the tables:

Total reduction in Benefits due to 6-52 weeks Hospital Downrating
£ millions
Benefit 1997–98 1998–99 1999–2000 2000–01
Incapacity Benefit 5* 5* 6* 5*
Severe Disablement Allowance (SDA) 3 3 3 4
Retirement Pension 22 24 26 28
Total reduction in Benefits due to 52 week Hospital Downrating
£ millions
Benefit 1997–98 1998–99 1999–2000 2000–01
Incapacity Benefit 8* 8* 8* 9*
SDA 24 23 23 21
Retirement Pension 33 32 30 29
Total reduction in Benefits due to withdrawal after 4 weeks
£ millions
Benefit 1997–98 1998–99 1999–2000 2000–01
Attendance Allowance 46 63 76 80
Disability Living Allowance 18 23 27 32
Invalid Care Allowance 3 3 3 3

  1. 1. The information has been obtained from a number of administrative sources and a number of assumptions have been made, i.e. numbers marked * are taken from a small number of sample cases and are subject to a relatively high sampling error and should only be used as an indication of the current situation and it has been assumed that figures in a given quarter remain constant throughout the year.
  2. 2. Figures are rounded to the nearest million.
  3. 3. It is not possible to provide accurate total reductions for Income Support, Housing Benefit, or Council Tax Benefit.
  4. 4. The figures are given in cash terms.