To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many households claimed family credit in each of the last five years; and if she will make a statement. [7181]
Work is the best form of welfare for people of working age. We will develop a system that supports work, savings and honesty. Our objective is to reduce poverty and welfare dependency and to promote work incentives.The information is in the table.
| Year | Family credit case load |
| November 1992 | 458,800 |
| November 1993 | 525,000 |
| November 1994 | 584,300 |
| November 1995 | 648,700 |
| November 1996 | 725,300 |
Notes:
1. Figures are rounded to the nearest 100 cases.
2. Figures relate to the family credit live case load at 30 November each year.
3. Case load represents the number of families receiving family credit. If a household contains more than one family receiving family credit—for example, lone parents in a shared household—that household would be counted more than once.
4. Figures are based on a 5 per cent. sample and subject to a degree of sampling error.
Source:
Analytical services division 5 per cent. sample of family credit awards.