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Mr. Sheerman
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is the current annual overall cost of unemployment to his Department; and what is the average cost per unemployed claimant (a) per week and (b) per annum. [9536]
Mr. Roger Evans
The total estimated outturn expenditure by the DSS on unemployed people in 1994–95 was £9,100 million. Of this, £1,260 million is unemployment benefit, £5,323 million is income support, £48 million is social fund payments and £2,470 million is housing benefit and council tax benefit. The average weekly amount received by unemployed claimants receiving a specific benefit is: income support £55.38, unemployment benefit £48.60, housing benefit £42.65 and council tax benefit £7.44.