asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will publish a table showing the ordinary and long-term scale rates—including the addition for rent—for a single person, a couple, a couple plus one child aged five to 11 years, a couple plus two children, one aged under five years and one aged five to 11 years, and a couple plus four children, two aged under five years and two aged five to 11 years, as a percentage of average net male earnings in November 1980 and 1981.
The information is as follows:
Supplementary Benefit Scale Rates, Plus Average Additions for Housing Costs*, as a Percentage of Net Average Earnings†
| ||||
(Percentage)
| ||||
November 1980
| November 1981‡
| |||
Family type
| Ordinary
| Long-term
| Ordinary
| Long-term
|
| Single Person | 32·7 | 38·9 | 34·6 | 40·8 |
| Married Couple | 45·8 | 54·8 | 48·0 | 57·0 |
| Married couple + 1 child (aged 5·10 years)§ | 52·3 | 60·9 | 54·6 | 63·2 |
| Married couple + 2 children (1 aged under 5,║1 aged 5–10)§ | 58·7 | 66·9 | 61·1 | 69·3 |
| Married couple + 4 children (2 aged under 5,║ 2 aged 5–10)§ | 65·6 | 73·1 | 67·5 | 75·0 |
* An average housing requirement addition for unemployed claimants in respect of each family group. | ||||
| † Net average earnings are the estimated average gross weekly earnings of men (aged 21 and over) in full-time employment in all occupations in Great Britain whose pay was not affected by absence. | ||||
| They have been derived from the April New Earnings Survey estimates using a three month moving average of the whole economy index, less tax and NI contributions at the non-contracted out rate, plus child benefit where appropriate. | ||||
‡ November 1981 figures are provisional.
| ||||
| § Information given is for families with children aged 5–10 and not 5–11, as the age bands of the appropriate children's scale rates are 10 and under, and 11–15. | ||||
| ║ Includes age related heating additions for children under 5. | ||||