HC Deb 30 January 1968 vol 757 cc291-2W
Mr. Bishop

asked the Minister of Social Security what increases have been paid by means of pensions and supplementary benefits to single and married householders since 1964; how many persons were affected; and what were the total amounts paid in each year and estimated to be payable for the period up to 1970–71.

Mr. Pentland

The information on increases, persons affected, and total amounts paid up to the current year is tabulated below. Expenditure in future years will depend on the rates of benefit in force in those years.

Increases in retirement pensions and Supplementary Benefits
Retirement pensions National assistance/ Supplementary Benefit
Date Single person Married couple Single house couple Married couple
s. d s. d s. d s. d
March, 1965 12 6 21 0 12 6 21 0
November,1966 — — 5 0 7 6
October;1967 10 0 16 0 5 0 8 0
Numbers of persons affected by increases in retirement pensions and Supplementary Benefits
As at Recipients of retirement pension (estimated) Recipients of national assistance Supplementary Benefit
December 1964 6,100,000 1,961,000
December, 1965 6,300,000 1,997,000
December, 1966 6,475,000 2,495,000
December. 1967 6,650,000* 2,577,000
£ million
Total amount paid by way of retirement pensions and national assistance/Supplementary Benefit
Year Retirement pension National assistance/Supplementary Benefit
1964–65 … 1,015 223
1965–66 … 1,238 246
1966–67 … 1,272 298
1967–68 … 1,357† 385†
*Provisional—as at September, 1967.
†Estimated.