[holding answer 20 May 2009]: The following table shows the estimated cost and number of council tax benefit (CTB) beneficiaries if full CTB was awarded to all households where no individual earns more than £10,000 per annum, regardless of the amount of capital held.
Number of beneficiaries Cost in annually managed expenditure (£ million per year) Pensioners 1,500,000 1,350 Working age 1,100,000 800 Total 2,610,000 2,140 Notes: 1. All figures are for Great Britain. 2. Beneficiaries are rounded to the nearest 10,000 and costs are rounded to the nearest £10 million. These estimates include customers who gain and those who become entitled to the benefit. 3. Each beneficiary represents a benefit unit, which can be a single claimant or a couple. 4. The impact is estimated using the Department’s Policy Simulation Model for 2008-09, using data from the 2006-07 Family Resources Survey up-rated to 2008-09 prices, benefit rates and earnings levels, and is calibrated to latest published forecasts and policies. 5. Results are subject to sampling and reporting errors and estimation assumptions, and are therefore indicative only. No behavioural changes are assumed.