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Jobseekers
Mr. Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) what proportion of jobseekers who have been unemployed for (a) one year, (b) two years and (c) five or more years and who return to work become unemployed again after (1) less than 12 weeks and (2) more than 12 weeks but less than 52 weeks; [82634]
- (2) what proportion of jobseekers who have been unemployed for (a) one year, (b) two years and (c) five or more years and who subsequently return to work for more than 12 weeks but less than 52 weeks qualify for contributions-based jobseeker's allowance. [82633]
Angela Eagle: Information is not available in the form requested. Such information as is available is in the table.
| Returned to benefit in | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Duration of claim on termination | (1) Less than 12 weeks (%) | (2) More than 12 weeks but less than 52 weeks (%) | Proportion of (2) who qualify for JSA(C)on return to benefit (%) |
| All duration's | 10.6 | 29.1 | 26.4 |
| Up to 1 year | 10.1 | 29.1 | 28.5 |
| 1-2 years | 14.0 | 30.5 | 17.3 |
| 2-5 years | 13.9 | 28.1 | 6.0 |
| 5 years or more | 11.6 | 24.1 | 1.9 |
Notes:
1. Figures based on claims to Jobseeker's Allowance that terminated in the quarter up to November 1997
2. Percentages are given to one decimal place
3. Figures are based on a 5 per cent. sample and are subject to a degree of sampling error
4. Figures are subject to the reliability of JSA termination codes
5. The proportion who qualify for JSA(C) on their return to benefit is based on the number of claimants in receipt of JSA(C) and those in receipt of income-based JSA who would also qualify through the contributory route.
Source:
Jobseeker's Allowance Statistics Quarterly Enquiries, November 1997 to November 1998.
Mortgage Interest Relief
Mr. Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will list the costs of covering mortgage interest relief of income support claimants for each of the last 10 years. [82567]
Angela Eagle: The information is in the table. Income Support for the unemployed was replaced by income- based Jobseeker's Allowance from October 1996 and the figures are contained in a separate table.
| £ million | ||
|---|---|---|
| Year | Number of claimants | Estimated annual expenditure |
| 1998-89 | 286,000 | 274 |
| 1989-90 | 281,000 | 356 |
| 1990-91 | 310,000 | 554 |
| 1991-92 | 411,000 | 945 |
| 1992-93 | 529,000 | 1,214 |
| 1993-94 | 550,000 | 1,137 |
| 1994-95 | 517,000 | 995 |
| 1995-96 | 488,000 | 996 |
| 1996-97 | 377,000 | 671 |
| 1997-98 | 295,000 | 501 |
4 May 1999 : Column: 359
| £ million | ||
|---|---|---|
| Year | Number of claimants | Estimated annual expenditure |
| 1996-97 | 94,000 | 99 |
| 1997-98 | 67,000 | 144 |
Notes:
1. Figures are based on a 1 per cent. sample up to and including May 1993 and a 5 per cent. sample thereafter.
2. Figures for 1992-93 onwards are based on an average of payments and numbers of claimants in the inquiry week using an average of the four quarters of the financial year.
3. Figures prior to this are based on numbers and average amounts paid in May of each year.
4. Figures have been rounded to the nearest thousand, and the estimated annual expenditure is rounded to the nearest million pounds.
5. Prior to November 1995 figures on amounts of Income Support Mortgage Interest paid to claimants were published in the Quarterly Statistical Enquiry. From November 1995 onwards these have been replaced by figures on housing costs payable to claimants with mortgage interest payments. This change is due to alterations in Income Support rules and provides a more accurate reflection of the help actually provided to claimants under the housing cost rules. From 1992-93 onwards the estimates that have been used for this answer have been based on amounts of housing requirements payable to claimants with mortgage interest payments, and will include amounts for ground rent and other miscellaneous housing costs, although the majority of the amount is paid for mortgage interest. Figures prior to 1992-93 are not directly comparable with data after this date for this reason.
6. Income Support figures exclude the unemployed from October 1996, as Income Support for the unemployed was replaced by Income-based Jobseeker's Allowance (JSA) from this point.
7. The February 1998 quarterly figure used in the annual 1997-98 JSA figure includes nil mortgage cases (i.e. cases with housing requirements only).
8. JSA estimated expenditure for 1996-97 represents a 6 month estimate from the introduction of income-based JSA, the 1997-98 is an annual estimate.
Sources:
1. Jobseeker's Allowance Statistics Quarterly Enquiries, November 1996-February 1998
2. Income Support Statistics Annual Enquiries, 1988-1993
3. Income Support Statistics Quarterly Enquiries, May 1994- May 1998
Girocheques
Mr. Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) if he will estimate the number of girocheques lost nationally every week; [82626]
- (2) if he will estimate the number of Girobank benefit cheques reported lost each week. [82569]
Mr. Timms: The information requested is not available in the format requested. Such information as is available shows that there is an average of 7,263 girocheques reported as either not received, lost, stolen or destroyed, nationally each week.
Mr. Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what proportion of girocheques are cashed (a) in post offices and banks and (b) in shops which offer to cash cheques on the spot. [82625]
Mr. Timms:
Of the total number of girocheques cashed, 93 per cent. are cashed at post offices and 7 per cent. are presented to banks or building societies for
4 May 1999 : Column: 360
clearance. Information on the proportion of the latter, which have initially been cashed in shops which offer to cash cheques on the spot, is not available.
Ms Walley:
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what criteria in relation to (a) the all work test and (b) incapacity benefit appeals determine entitlement to (i) benefit and (ii) fitness for work in the case of sufferers from angina; and how assessment is carried out. [82555]
Mr. Bayley:
The All Work Test determines entitlement to all benefits which depend on incapacity for work, including Incapacity Benefit, Severe Disablement Allowance and Income Support paid on the basis of incapacity.
The test does not assess the condition itself but focuses on the effects of the condition on the person's ability to carry out a range of work related activities such as walking, lifting and carrying, vision and so on. Factors such as pain, fatigue and stress in carrying out the activities are taken into consideration. The test is satisfied when a set threshold of incapacity is reached.
Some people with specified severe conditions or disabilities (such as blindness) are automatically treated as "incapable of work" and are exempted from taking the all work test. Some people with angina may satisfy one of the conditions for exemption defined in legislation as a progressive impairment of cardio-respiratory function which severely and persistently limits effort tolerance. In some cases the adjudication officer will decide, in the light of medical advice, that the written evidence shows that the test is satisfied. Other claimants will need to undergo a medical examination in order to assess the level of their incapacity.
There are no separate criteria used by appeal tribunals.
Mr. Oaten:
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what estimate he has made of the number of people aged under 25 years who have been affected by changes to the housing benefit rules introduced since May 1997. [82675]
Angela Eagle:
The rules which restrict the amount of rent for Housing Benefit purposes for single young individuals aged under 25 years of age living in the private rented sector, were introduced in October 1996. As of May 1998 33,000 single young people aged under 25 were assessed under the Single Room Rent scheme. Of those, 10,000 were restricted to the single room rent.
Source:
Housing Benefit Management Information System annual 1 per cent. sample enquiries with and without Income Support taken at the last day of May 1997, and provisional figures produced on the second Thursday in May 1998.
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