asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what effect the rate support grant settlement and the guidelines issued in that settlement of a £1·50 per week increase in municipal rents, plus the supplementary guideline increase of 60p per week in municipal rents announced within his statement on Thursday 21 February, will have on people receiving rent rebate and social security payments; and what the increased numbers will be receiving these benefits.
Those in receipt of rent rebates will on average receive an increase of 90p per week in rebate if the rent guideline of £1·50 a week announced on 16 November is adopted, and a further increase of 36p per week for the second half of the financial year if the supplementary rent guideline of 60p per week announced on 21 February is similarly adopted. Those on supplementary benefit will not be affected. About 100,000 more people are expected to receive rebates in the second half of 1980–81. Comparable information on numbers becoming eligible for supplementary benefit is not available.