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Income Support: Lone Parents

Volume 459: debated on Wednesday 25 April 2007

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how much was spent on income support for (a) lone parents whose youngest child was (i) under three, (ii) under five, (iii) under 11, (iv) under 14 and (v) under 16 and (b) all lone parents in (i) cash and (ii) real terms in each of the last 10 years; what proportion of GDP each figure represented; and what estimate he has made of the expenditure for each of the next 10 years. (126529)

The available information is in the following tables. Figures after 2007-08 are illustrative projections consistent with the 2006 ‘Long-term Public Finance Report’. They are based on current policy continuing and do not represent firm expenditure plans. They also do not take account of measures proposed in the current Welfare Reform Bill.

Income support lone-parent expenditure in Great Britain (cash terms)

£ million

All lone parents on income support

Children aged under 3

Children aged between 3 under 5

Children aged between 5 and under 11

Children aged between 11 and under 14

Children aged 14 and over

1999-2000

3,963

1,257

690

1,372

432

211

2000-01

4,334

1,361

781

1,507

464

221

2001-02

4,520

1,426

813

1,565

489

227

2002-03

4,626

1,435

821

1,623

511

236

2003-04

4,854

1,538

845

1,681

541

250

2004-05

4,452

1,365

773

1,558

513

244

2005-06

3,776

1,055

652

1,371

465

233

2006-07

3,403

892

591

1,262

437

220

2007-08

2,819

739

490

1,046

362

182

2008-09

1,919

503

333

712

247

124

2009-10

1,876

492

326

696

241

121

2010-11

1,848

484

321

686

238

119

2011-12

1,905

499

331

707

245

123

2012-13

1,964

515

341

729

253

127

2013-14

2,008

526

349

745

258

130

2014-15

2,046

536

356

759

263

132

2015-16

2,092

548

363

776

269

135

2016-17

2,141

561

372

794

275

138

2017-18

2,191

574

381

813

282

142

Income support lone-parent expenditure in Great Britain (real terms, 2006-07 prices)

£ million

All lone parents on income support

Children aged under 3

Children aged between 3 and under 5

Children aged between 5 and under 11

Children aged between 11 and under 14

Children aged 14 and over

1999-2000

4,695

1,490

817

1,626

512

250

2000-01

5,064

1,590

913

1,761

542

258

2001-02

5,159

1,627

928

1,787

558

259

2002-03

5,122

1,589

909

1,797

566

262

2003-04

5,219

1,653

908

1,807

582

269

2004-05

4,658

1,428

808

1,630

537

255

2005-06

3,877

1,083

670

1,407

477

239

2006-07

3,403

892

591

1,262

437

220

2007-08

2,745

719

477

1,018

353

177

2008-09

1,819

477

316

675

234

118

2009-10

1,732

454

301

643

223

112

2010-11

1,662

435

289

616

214

107

2011-12

1,666

437

289

618

214

108

2012-13

1,672

438

290

620

215

108

2013-14

1,662

436

289

617

214

107

2014-15

1,648

432

286

611

212

106

2015-16

1,639

430

285

608

211

106

2016-17

1,631

428

283

605

210

105

2017-18

1,624

426

282

603

209

105

Income support lone-parent expenditure as a percentage of gross domestic product

Percentage

All lone parents on income support

Children aged under 3

Children aged between Sand under 5

Children aged between 5 and under 11

Children aged between 11 and under 14

Children aged 14 and over

1999-2000

0.43

0.14

0.07

0.15

0.05

0.02

2000-01

0.45

0.14

0.08

0.16

0.05

0.02

2001-02

0.45

0.14

0.08

0.16

0.05

0.02

2002-03

0.43

0.13

0.08

0.15

0.05

0.02

2003-04

0.43

0.14

0.07

0.15

0.05

0.02

2004-05

0.37

0.11

0.07

0.13

0.04

0.02

Notes:

1. Figures up to 2007-08 are consistent with the historical out-turn and pre-Budget report forecast expenditure figures published on the Department for Work and Pensions website at: http://www.dwp.gov.uk/asd/asd4/expenditure.asp.

2. Figures after 2007-08 are illustrative projections consistent with the 2006 Long-term Public Finance Report, and assume current policy continues throughout the projection period, including the migration of the dependant child element of income support for lone parents to Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs as part of the wider child tax credits roll-out. They do not take account of policies proposed in the current Welfare Reform Bill.

3. Lone parents are defined as single claimants with dependants not receiving incapacity benefits. Expenditure refers to the total expenditure directed at working-age adults and any child dependants from income support for lone parents.

4. Expenditure has been apportioned among age groups using data on IS recipients from the 100 per cent. Work and Pensions Longitudinal Study. For all years beyond 2006-07, expenditure is apportioned using age group data for 2006-07.

5. Information prior to 1999-2000 has not been provided because the underlying data series begins in that financial year.

6. All figures relate to expenditure in Great Britain only, but GDP figures used are for the United Kingdom.