---

Dept of Social Security

Answer

Mr. Gerald Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what proportion of households headed by a single mother are currently in receipt of (a) housing benefit, (b) other social security benefits, excluding child benefit, (c) income support, (d) social security loans and (e) free school meals. [117531] Angela Eagle: The information is in the table. Percentage _________________________________________________________________________________________________. Proportion of all lone mothers in receipt Housing Benefit 59 Other Social Security Benefits 28 Income Support 60 Social Fund Loans 24 Free School Meals {1}-- _________________________________________________________________________________________________. {1} Information for free school meals is not available by family type. Notes: 1. Estimates of the numbers on benefit are based on 1 per cent. and 5 per cent. scans of benefit computer systems. These scans select 1 per cent. or 5 per cent. of the relevant cases and so are subject to some degree of sampling error. 2. The proportions have been calculated using departmental forecasts of the number of lone parents. Figures have been rounded to the nearest percentage point. 3. Some lone parents will be in receipt of other benefits such as Incapacity Benefit, Severe Disability Allowance or Industrial Injuries Benefit. We have not included them in this table, as we cannot separately identify lone parents on the computer systems for these benefits. Other benefits is defined to include Jobseeker's Allowance (Income Based) (JSA(IB)), Widowed Mothers Allowance and Family Credit (FC). 4. Figures for FC only go up to September 1999. From October 1999, FC was replaced by Working Families Tax Credit. 5. The figures for the Social Fund exclude people with an outstanding loan, which they are not currently repaying. Sources: 1. Income Support: Income Support Quarterly Statistical Enquiry, November 1999. 2. JSA (IB): Jobseeker's Allowance Quarterly Statistical Enquiry, November 1999. 3. Family Credit: Family Credit Quarterly Statistical Enquiry, August 1999 Widowed Mothers Allowance: 5 per cent. sample of Pension Strategy Computer System, March 1999. 4. Housing Benefit: Housing Benefit Management Information System, annual 1 per cent. sample inquiry, taken as at the second Thursday of May 1998.

Secondary information

Type

Written question

Reference

348 c139-41W; 117531

Session

1999-00

Subjects

Housing benefit Income support Free school meals Lone parents Mothers Social security benefits Social Fund

Contains statistics

Yes

Link

View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk