Mr Major’s Written Parliamentary Answer on Housing Benefit – 24 March 1986

Below is the text of Mr Major’s written Parliamentary Answer on Housing Benefit on 24th March 1986.

Mr. Andrew Bowden Asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many pensioner households lost all housing benefit as a result of the changes which came into effect in November 1985; and, of these, how many were tenants and how many owner-occupiers.

Mr. Major [pursuant to his reply, 11 March 1986, c. 439]: It is estimated that about 210,000 fewer pensioner households received housing benefit as a result of the increase in the rate rebate taper above the needs allowance, offset where appropriate by the real improvement in the dependent child addition to the needs allowance in November 1985. About three-quarters of these were owner-occupiers, the remainder tenants.