asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will state under separate unemployment/disability headings the net annual cost to the Exchequer of increasing (a) the weekly rate of unemployment/disability benefits to persons aged 18 years and over to £6; and (b) the weekly rate of unemployment/disability benefits to married women dependent upon their husbands to £6; (c) the weekly unemployment/disability rate of adult dependants to £5; and (d) the rate for dependent children to £2 per week.
Written Answers. - Unemployment and Disability Benefits.
183.
On the assumption that the Exchequer would bear one-third of the cost, the remaining two-thirds being met by the contributions of employers and employees, the annual cost to the Exchequer of increasing unemployment and disability benefits to the amounts mentioned under the headings in the Question is set out in the following table:
|
Heading |
Unemployment Benefit |
Disability Benefit |
|
£ |
£ |
|
|
(a) |
594,300 |
1,069,000 |
|
(b) |
87,400 |
408,000 |
|
(c) |
445,600 |
845,000 |
|
(d) |
885,900 |
1,542,000 |
NOTE: The costs at (a) do not include the costs in respect of married women which are shown at (b).