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Family Income

Volume 21: debated on Monday 29 March 1982

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asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what are the latest available figures for the

Two-parent familiesGreat Britain
Claimants (Thousands)Children (Thousands)Average weekly supp, benefitAverage housing costs*
£££
All supplementary benefit24253639·2112·51
Pensioners349·89
Unemployed22149412·51
Sick and disabled142913·52
Others41010·43
The average amount of supplementary benefit is only available for the total number of two-parent families.
* It is not possible to say what proportion of benefit in payment is for housing costs. The amounts shown are the average allowed in the assessment of benefit.
† Not available.

Source: Annual statistical inquiry December 1980.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what are the latest available figures of the numbers of one-parent families in receipt of supplementary benefit; how many of these are divorced, separated, number of (a) one-parent families and (b) two-parent families in receipt of family income supplement; in each case what are the average payments; and how many families receive the maximum payment allowed.

The latest available figures relate to 29 December 1981, as follows:

Great Britain
(a)(b)
One-parent familiesTwo-parent families
Number of families receiving family income supplement63,00068,000
Average weekly payment£12·60£11·00
Number of families receiving maximum weekly payments12,0009,000

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what are the latest available figures on the numbers of two-parent families in receipt of supplementary benefit; how many are unemployed, sick or disabled, or for some other reason on supplementary benefit; and, in each category, what is the total number of children involved, the average payment and how much of it is for housing costs.

The latest information available relates to December 1980 and is given in the following table:single, widowed or are prisoners' wives; and, in each category, what is the total number of children involved, the average payment and how much of it is for housing costs. category, what is the total number of children involved, the average payment and how much of it is for housing costs.

One-parent familiesGreat Britain
Claimants (thousands)Children (thousands)Average weekly supplementary benefitAverage housing costs
££
All supplementary benefit33658238·05*11·76
Divorced10920841·56
Separated10620638·75
Single10914934·43
Widowed71026·87
Prisoners' wives4942·69
* It is not possible to say what proportion of supplementary benefit in payment is for housing costs but the average amount allowed in assessments of benefit is shown.
† available.

Source: annual statistical inquiry December 1980.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what are the latest available figures for the number of (a) one-parent families headed by a woman, (b one-parent families headed by a man and (c) two-parent families who rely on (i) State benefits, (ii) earnings from employment, (iii) maintenance payments and (iv) other items, as their main source of income.

The latest available figures are those given in the answer given by my hon. Friend the Member for Wallasey (Mrs. Chalker) to the hon. Member on 27 October 1980—[Vol. 991, c. 171–72]. Figures for 1979 should be available in a few weeks' time.