asked the Minister for Social Welfare the total amount paid out in unmarried mothers allowance for each of the years since its inception up to the latest year for which figures are available; and the number of unmarried mothers categorised by the number of children they have for which they are claiming.
Written Answers - Unmarried Mothers Allowance.
124.
The unmarried mothers allowance scheme was introduced in July 1973. The information requested by the Deputy is contained in the following tables:
TABLE 1
Expenditure on Unmarried Mothers Allowance, 1973-1987
|
Year |
Expenditure |
|
£m |
|
|
1973-1974* |
0.5 |
|
1974 (9 months) |
0.8 |
|
1975 |
1.6 |
|
1976 |
2.3 |
|
1977 |
3.0 |
|
1978 |
3.8 |
|
1979 |
4.8 |
|
1980 |
7.7 |
|
1981 |
10.9 |
|
1982 |
15.9 |
|
1983 |
20.5 |
|
1984 |
25.7 |
|
1985 |
32.8 |
|
1986 |
36.7 |
|
1987 |
44.0 |
|
(Provisional) |
*Up to April 1974
TABLE 2
Recipients of Unmarried Mothers Allowance. 1973-1987
|
Year |
Recipients |
|
(at 31 December) |
|
|
1973 |
1,633 |
|
1974 |
2,156 |
|
1975 |
2,823 |
|
1976 |
3,334 |
|
1977 |
3,799 |
|
1978 |
4,041 |
|
1979 |
4,574 |
|
1980 |
5,267 |
|
1981 |
6,222 |
|
1982 |
7,592 |
|
1983 |
8,534 |
|
1984 |
10,309 |
|
1985 |
11,530 |
|
1986 |
12,039 |
|
1987 |
13,930 |
TABLE 3
Unmarried Mothers' Allowances by Family Size (31 December 1987)
|
Family Size |
Recipients |
|
1 child |
11,310 |
|
2 children |
1,904 |
|
3 children |
497 |
|
4 children |
146 |
|
5 children |
51 |
|
6 children |
12 |
|
7 children |
6 |
|
8 children |
2 |
|
9 children |
2 |
|
All |
13,930 |