HC Deb 27 January 2003 vol 398 cc661-2W
Dr. Evan Harris

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (1) what estimate has been made of the number of same-sex couples in long-term relationships living together who are currently treated as separate households for the purpose of state pension and other benefits; [89697]

(2) for which benefits heterosexual unmarried couples living together as husband and wife are treated as a couple when same-sex couples are treated as individuals; and for each of these benefits what estimate he has made (a) of the cost of treating same-sex couples as individuals and (b) the savings made by not treating such heterosexual couples as individuals. [89698]

Mr. McCartney

[holding answer 16 January 2003]: There is very little information about same-sex couples in this country. The Labour Force Survey suggests that there are about 50,000 cohabiting same-sex couples in the UK. Around one in twenty of the individuals in these couples say they are claiming income related benefits or tax credits. There appear to be very few who are pensioners. Same sex couples are treated as individuals for the purposes of determining entitlement to income related benefits.

We already treat same sex couples as individuals for the purpose of determining entitlement to income related benefits. Any estimate of the savings made from treating unmarried heterosexual couples as couples rather than as individuals would depend on assumptions about, for example, the number of individuals who would otherwise choose to claim benefit and about whether benefit would be paid for their children.

Notes:

  1. a. Information is taken from the Labour Force Survey, spring 2002 and the Family Resources Survey 2001–02. However, they are very likely to under record the extent of same sex partnerships. In addition they will not necessarily capture all benefit recipients.
  2. b. Definition of benefits includes all unemployment related benefits, including JSA (IB), IS, family related benefits or tax credits and housing or council tax benefit.
  3. c. There are very few pensioners recorded in the Family Resources Survey as being in same sex couples.
  4. d. Estimated costs are based on the information in the Labour Force Survey and assumes that the proportion of working age individuals receiving benefit is the same for those in same-sex couples as in the wider population.