§ Mr. David Priceasked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many retirement pensioners there are between the ages of 75 and 80 years of age; and what it would cost, per year, to give them an increment of 50 pence a week.
§ Mr. DeanThere are 1,334,000 retirement pensioners between the ages of 75 and 80 years. On the basis that all of them, including those who are receiving supplementary pension, would benefit to the full extent of the proposed increase, the cost would be about £35 million a year.
§ Mr. David Priceasked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many retirement pensioners over 80 years of age are currently in receipt of the special increment of 25 pence a week; and what it would cost per year to raise this increment to £1 a week.
§ Mr. DeanThere are 1,260,000 retirement pensioners over 80 years of age. On the basis that all of them, including those who are receiving supplementary pension, would benefit to the full extent of the proposed increase, the cost would be about £49 million a year.
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§ Mr. David Priceasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what measures have been taken by the Government since they took office in June 1970 to improve the real value of the income of the retirement pensioner.
§ Mr. DeanThe Government have introduced a system of annual reviews of benefits. Under this the three increases in pensions made since 1970 have improved the value of the pension by 55 per cent., compared with a rise in the cost of living, between November 1969 and September 1973, of 36 per cent., so that pensioners have had an appreciable real increase in their standard of living. Moreover, last December a special payment of £10 was made to all retirement pensioners—£20 for a married couple both over pensionable age; and, in the special circumstances now existing, the payment is being repeated this month.
§ Mr. David Priceasked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many persons are currently in receipt of the retirement pension; of such persons, how many are in receipt of an additional
RETIREMENT PENSION Number of retirement pensions at 30th November 1972, analysed by age, sex and whether contributory or non-contributory pension Men and women Age All pensions Contributory pensions Non-contributory pension All ages … … … … 7,792,530 7,667,950 124,580 60–64 … … … … 807,340 807,230 110 65–69 … … … … 2,384,050 2,383,400 650 70–74 … … … … 2,007,190 2,005,400 1,790 75–79 … … … … 1,333,650 1,330,480 3,170 80–84 … … … … 788,870 749,700 39,170 85–89 … … … … 349,360 304,870 44,490 90–94 … … … … 103,860 75,320 28,540 95–99 … … … … 16,260 10,580 5,680 100 and over … … … 1,960 980 980 284W
Men Age All pensions Contributory pensions Non-contributory pension All ages … … … … 2,669,510 2,653,510 16,000 60–64 … … … … — — — 65–69 … … … … 1,029,790 1,029,790 — 70–74 … … … … 819,440 819,440 — 75–79 … … … … 464,930 464,930 — 80–84 … … … … 240,930 238,000 2,960 85–89 … … … … 88,710 82,840 5,870 90–94 … … … … 22,170 16,130 6,040 95–99 … … … … 3,290 2,340 950 100 and over … … … 250 70 180 occupational pension; how many receive supplementary benefit; and how many are still in whole-time employment.
§ Mr. DeanFollowing is the information as at 30th November 1972, the latest date for which it is available:
Million (a) Estimated number of retirement pensioners 7.8 (b) Estimated number of retirement pensioners in receipt of an occupational pension 2.0 (c) Estimated number of retirement pensioners in receipt of supplementary benefit 2.1 (d) Estimated number of retirement pensioners in whole-time employment 0.1 Note: (b) and (c), and (b) and (d) are not necessarily mutually exclusive.
§ Mr. David Priceasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will give a breakdown of the number of persons in receipt of the retirement pension by sex and age, the latter being measured in categories of five years.
§ Mr. DeanThe information is as follows:
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Women Age All pensions Contributory pensions Non-contributory pension All ages … … … … 5,123,010 5,014,440 108,570 60–64 … … … … 807,340 807,230 110 65–69 … … … … 1,354,260 1,353,610 650 70–74 … … … … 1,187,750 1,185,960 1,790 75–79 … … … … 868,690 865,550 3,140 80–84 … … … … 547,980 511,730 36,250 85–89 … … … … 260,650 222,030 38,620 90–94 … … … … 81,690 59,190 22,500 95–99 … … … … 12,970 8,240 4,730 100 and over … … … 1,700 910 790
§ Mr. David Priceasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will list the figures for the number of persons in receipt of the retirement pension for each year since the current comprehensive system of national social insurance was implemented in 1948; what is his estimate of the future numbers of such persons over the next 10 years; and what percentage of the total population in each year such persons represented or will represent.
§ Mr. DeanThe information is as follows:
Mid-Year Estimated number of retirement pensioners (millions) Percentage of total population 1949 4.12 8.4 1950 4.17 8.5 1951 4.21 8.6 1952 4.28 8.7 1953 4.35 8.8 1954 4.36 8.8 1955 4.48 9.0 1956 4.59 9.2 1957 4.71 9.4 1958 4.83 9.6 1959 5.34 10.6 1960 5.52 10.8 1961 5.61 10.9 1962 5.72 11.0 1963 5.87 11.2 1964 6.05 11.5 1965 6.26 11.8 1966 6.43 12.1 1967 6.64 12.4 1968 6.86 12.7 1969 7.07 13.1 1970 7.22 13.3 1971 7.50 13.9 1972 7.64 14.1 1973 7.76 14.3 1974 7.88 14.4 1975 7.98 14.6 1976 8.08 14.8 1977 8.17 14.9 1978 8.24 15.0 1979 8.30 15.0 1980 8.34 15.0 1981 8.37 15.0 1982 8.39 15.0 1983 8.41 15.0