HC Deb 27 February 1976 vol 906 cc380-3W
Mr. Hannam

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) if she will express the attendance allowance at both rates for a single person as a percentage of: (a) average gross male industrial earnings, (b) net personal disposable income per head, and (c) average final income per head, as established in the Family Expenditure Survey for households, divided by the average size per household, for each of the years from 1971 to 1975;

(2) if she will express the long-term supplementary benefit for a single person as a percentage of: (a) average gross male industrial earnings, (b) net personal disposable income per head, and (c) average final income per head, as established in the Family Expenditure Survey for households, divided by the average size per household, for each of the years from 1971 to 1975;

TABLE 1
COMPARISON OF BENEFITS WITH EARNINGS*
October
1971 1972 1973 1974
(1) Gross Earnings of Male Manual Worker*—£ per week 30.93 35.82 40.92 48.63
(2) Supplementary Benefit Scale Rate for Single Person (Long Term)—£ per week 6.30 7.15 8.15 10.40
(3) Attendance Allowance (Lower Rate)—£ per week — —‡ 4.15 5.35
(4) Attendance Allowance (Higher Rate)—£ per week —† 5.40 6.20 8.00
(5) Invalidity Pension (excluding invalidity allowance)—£ per week 6.00 6.75 7.75 10.00
(6) Supplementary Benefit* as percentage of earnings (1) 20 20 20 21
(7) Attendance Allowance (lower rate) (3) as percentage of earnings (1) — — 10 11
(8) Attendance Allowance (higher rate) (4) as percentage of earnings (1) — 15 15 16
(9) Invalidity Pension (5) as percentage of earnings (1) 19 19 19 21
* Estimated gross weekly earnings of male adult full time manual workers in manufacturing and certain other industries based on Department of Employment enquiries of October in each year.
† Introduced 6th December 1971 as an addition to existing benefits or earnings.
‡ Introduced 4th June 1973 as an addition to existing benefits or earnings.
TABLE 2
COMPARISON OF BENEFITS WITH NET DISPOSABLE INCOME*
1971 1972 1973 1974
(1) Net Disposable Income per head—£ per annum 691 789 908 1,056
(2) Supplementary Benefit Scale Rate for Single Person (Long term)—£ per annum 305.40 338.65 392.95 477.80
(3) Attendance Allowance (lower rate)—£ per annum — — 119.30‡ 243.40
(4) Attendance Allowance (higher rate)—£ per annum 19.20† 257.40 291.20 363.80
(5) Invalidity Pension (excluding invalidity allowance)—£ per annum 90.00§ 321.75 364.00 454.75
(6) Supplementary Benefit (2) as percentage of net disposable income (1) 44 43 43 45
(7) Attendance Allowance (lower rate) (3) as percentage of net disposable income (1) — — 13 23
(8) Attendance Allowance (higher rate) (4) as percentage of net disposable income (1) 3 33 32 34
(9) Invalidity Pension (5) as percentage of net disposable income (1) 13 41 40 43
* Information supplied by the Central Statistical Office Income (from employment, self-employment and investments etc.) plus National Insurance benefits etc., less income tax and National Insurance contributions. Weekly estimates are not available and benefit estimates are therefore also expressed in an annual basis, allowing for part year payments and for upratings.
† Introduced 6th December 1971 as an addition to existing benefits or earnings.
‡ Introduced 4th June 1973 as an addition to existing benefits or earnings.
§ Introduced 23rd September 1971.

(3 if she will express the invalidity pension for a single person as a percentage of: (a) average gross male industrial earnings, (b) net personal disposable income per head and (c) average final income per head, as established in the Family Expenditure Survey for households, divided by the average size per household, for each of the years from 1971 to 1975.

Mr. Alfred Morris,

pursuant to his replies [Official Report, 16th February 1976; Vol.'905, c. 553, 554 and 555] gave the following information:

The following tables set out the information requested for the years 1971 to 1974 inclusive. Similar information for 1975 is not available.

TABLE 3
COMPARISON OF BENEFITS WITH AVERAGE FINAL INCOME*
1971 1972 1973 1974
(1) Average Final Income per head—£ per annum 533 605 736 861
(2) Supplementary Benefit Scale Rate for single person (long term)—£ per annum 305.40 338.65 392.95 477.80
(3) Attendance Allowance (lower rate)—£ per annum — — 119.30‡ 243.40
(4) Attendance Allowance (higher rate)—£ per annum 19.20† 257.40 291.20 363.80
(5) Invalidity Pension (excluding invalidity allowances)—£ per annum 90.00§ 321.75 364.00 454.75
(6) Supplementary Benefit (2) as percentage of average final income per head (1) 57 56 53 55
(7) Attendance Allowance (lower rate) (3) as percentage of average final Income per head (1) — — 16 28
(8) Attendance Allowance (higher rate) (4) as percentage of average final income per head (1) 4 43 40 42
(9) Invalidity Pension (5) as percentage of average final income per head (1) 17 53 49 53
* Based on information supplied by the Central Statistical Office—after all taxes and benefits, as defined in the article "Incidence of Taxes and Social Service Benefits" published in Economic Trends December 1974, are taken into account.
† Introduced 6th December 1971.
† Introduced 4th June 1973.
§ Introduced 23rd September 1971.