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Written question asked by Danny Alexander (Liberal Democrat) on Wednesday, 8 February 2006, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Monday, 13 February 2006. It was answered by James Plaskitt (Labour) on Thursday, 16 February 2006 on behalf of the Department for Work and Pensions.


Benefit

Question
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions pursuant to the answer of 19 January 2006, Official Report, column 1550W, on benefit, what information his Department does not hold which would be required to estimate the annual cost of raising all housing benefit and council tax benefit earned income disregards to levels commensurate with the real terms value of the disregards in 1988.
Answer

We do not have available the information on the characteristics of individual claims or claimants that would allow us to calculate this figure on that historical basis.If the earnings disregards were raised in 2006 to a level that is commensurate with the real term value of the disregards in 1988, we estimate that the annual cost for 2006 would be £60 million.


Secondary information

Type
Written question
Reference
442 c2425W;442 c2425W; 51488
Session
2005-06
Subjects
Council tax benefits Costs Housing benefit Levels
Link
View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk