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Social Security Benefits: Administration

Volume 486: debated on Thursday 15 January 2009

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how much has been allocated to cover the costs of processing applications for each benefit that the Department administers in each of the next three years; and if he will make a statement. (246628)

The Department's published three year plan is available in the Library and sets out the planned expenditure of Jobcentre Plus and the Pension, Disability and Carers Service over the CSR2007. The Pre-Budget Report announced additional funding for the Department over the CSR2007 to continue delivering effective support for the unemployed to find a job. The Department will publish a revised plan before the end of the current financial year providing further details of its plans, which will include planned Jobcentre Plus and Pension, Disability and Carers Service expenditure.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the average cost to his Department is of processing a benefit application for each benefit that his Department administers; and if he will make a statement. (246629)

Information on the staff costs of processing a new claim for each benefit in 2007-8 is provided in the following tables:

£

Income Support Claims only

52.91

Jobseekers Allowance Claims only

21.00

Incapacity Benefit Claims only

43.84

Bereavement Benefit Claims Only

101.70

Maternity Allowance Claims Only

26.09

Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit Claims Only

60.22

(Claims only include Telephony element)

Source:

Jobcentre Plus ABM systems

£

Attendance Allowance Claims

38.12

Disability Allowance Claims

83.46

Carers Allowance Claims

33.45

State Pension Claims

49.03

Pension Credit Claims

123.42

Source:

Pensions, Disability and Carers Service ABM systems.