§ Mr. Pardoeasked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many and what percentage of retirement pensioners, public service pensioners and unemployed persons are in receipt of supplementary benefits, rate and rent rebates.
§ Mr. EnnalsThis information about public service pensioners and rent rebates is not available. In September, 1968 just over 1½ million retirement pensioner households (about 28 per cent. of the total) were supported in some degree by supplementary pension; some of these households contained more than one pensioner; when a husband and wife, living together, are both retirement pensioners,164W a single supplement is paid. At 4th November, 1968, about 190,000 unemployed persons (34 per cent. of the total) were receiving supplementary allowances. The available informtion about rate rebates is an estimate that of 785,000, the average number of recipents in England and Wales in the 1967–68 year, approximately 80 per cent. were retired people. Persons receiving a supplementary benefit whose rent and rates have been allowed in full in assessing their requirements do not normally receive a rate rebate unless their benefit is subject to the wage-stop.