Mr Major’s Written Parliamentary Answer on Housing Benefit – 19 March 1986

Below is the text of Mr Major’s written Parliamentary Answer on Housing Benefit on 19th March 1986.

Mr. Park Asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what proportion of the domestic ratepayers in Coventry receive housing benefit.

Mr. Major We estimate that the number of rate rebate recipients, based on the local authority’s subsidy claims as a proportion of the number of domestic ratepayers in Coventry is about 40 per cent.

Mr. Frank Field Asked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) if he will list (a) the number of claimants eligible for housing benefit and (b) the number and percentage claiming benefit for each year since the scheme’s initiation; and if he will also present data on the number of dependants covered by these payments.

(2) if he will detail changes in the housing benefit scheme since its inception, together with planned future changes giving the numbers of claimants subject to changes to all or part of their entitlement, the average value of each of the changes and the net savings to public expenditure; and if he will express each of these changes to public expenditure as a percentage of the total cost of the scheme.

Mr. Major I shall let the hon. Member have replies as soon as possible.