Work and Pensions written question – answered at on 28 March 2006.
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions
(1) what estimate he has made using the Government's standard measure of the number of households paying council tax which are in poverty;
(2) what estimate he has made using the Government's standard measure of the number of children in poverty who are in council tax paying households.
holding answer
The seventh annual 'Opportunity for all' report (Cm 6673) sets out the Government's strategy for tackling poverty and social exclusion and reports progress against a range of indicators. The report includes headline indicators on the number and proportion of children and adults living in low income households, also published in Households Below Average Income 1994–95—2004–05", available in the Library.
The figures given in the tables show people who are paying any amount of council tax, many of them will be receiving some council tax benefit but not the full amount.
(i) The estimate of the number of households that report paying council tax, with incomes below 60 per cent. of contemporary median—a measure of 'relative' low income—are presented in the table.
Paying council tax and in relative low income | All relative low income households | All households | |
---|---|---|---|
Before housing costs | 2,800,000 | 4,100,000 | 24,600,000 |
After housing costs | 3,100,000 | 4,800,000 | 24,600,000 |
The estimate of the number of households that report paying council tax, with incomes below 60 per cent. of 1996–97 GB median—a measure of 'absolute' low income—are presented in the table.
Paying council tax and in absolute low income | All absolute low income households | All households | |
---|---|---|---|
Before housing costs | 1,800,000 | 2,400,000 | 24,600,000 |
After housing costs | 1,900,000 | 3,000,000 | 24,600,000 |
(ii) The estimate of the number of children living in households that report paying council tax, with incomes below 60 per cent. of contemporary median—a measure of 'relative' low income—are presented in the table.
Paying council tax and in relative low income | All relative low income households | All children | |
---|---|---|---|
Before housing costs | 1,500,000 | 2,400,000 | 12,600,000 |
After housing costs | 1,900,000 | 3,400,000 | 12,600,000 |
The estimate of the number of children living in households that report paying council tax, with incomes below 60 per cent. of 1996–97 GB median—a measure of 'absolute' low income—are presented in the table.
Paying council tax and in absolute low income | All absolute low income households | All children | |
---|---|---|---|
Before housing costs | 900,000 | 1,400,000 | 12,600,000 |
After housing costs | 1,100,000 | 1,900,000 | 12,600,000 |
Notes:
1. Households 'paying council tax' includes households in receipt of a partial council tax benefit award.
2. Figures rounded to the nearest 100 thousand.
3. Incomes below 60 per cent. of contemporary median is a measure of 'relative' low income.
4. Incomes below 60 per cent. of 1996–97 GB median—a measure of 'absolute' low income.
Source:
Yes0 people think so
No0 people think not
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