Mr Major’s Written Parliamentary Answer on Mortgage Interest – 11 June 1986

Below is the text of Mr Major’s written Parliamentary Answer on Mortgage Interest on 11th June 1986.

Mr. Thurnham Asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what was the total cost of the payment during 1985-86 by his Department of interest on the mortgages of those unemployed during each of the first six months of unemployment respectively.

Mr. Major The precise information requested is not available. The “Annual Statistical Enquiry 1983”, the latest information available, provides information about the number of supplementary benefit recipients who have been unemployed for under six months where the assessment of benefit includes an allowance towards mortgage interest. Information about the average weekly payment in respect of mortgage interest added in the assessment is also provided. At December 1983 an average weekly payment of £16.82 for mortgage interest was included in the assessment of approximately 65,000 supplementary benefit claimants unemployed for under six months. On this basis the total annual amount of mortgage interest added in the assessment of supplementary benefit would be £61 million.