§ Sir Andrew BowdenTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what are the number and proportion of pensioners in each region of the United Kingdom who receive(a) income support, (b) housing benefit and (c) council tax benefit. [7645]
§ Mr. HealdThe available information is in the tables.
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Income Support Pensioner Recipients by the Government Standard Statistical Regions May 1994 GSS region Number of cases in receipt of Income Support (thousands) As a percentage of the pensioner population South East (excluding London) 227 12.3 London (Inner and Outer) 204 — North 98 14.8 Yorkshire and Humberside 153 14.7 East Midlands 103 12.2 East Anglia 53 11.4 South-West 114 10 West Midlands 169 15.7 North-West 211 16.1 England 1.577 15.7 Wales 87 13.4 Scotland 158 15.3 Northern Ireland — —
Housing Benefit Pensioner Recipients by the Government Standard Statistical Regions May 1994 GSS region Number of cases in receipt of Income Support (thousands) As a percentage of the pensioner population South East (excluding London) 256 15.4 London (Inner and Outer) 283 — North 136 20.6 Yorkshire and Humberside 205 19.7 East Midlands 120 14.2 East Anglia 66 14.2 South-West 127 11.2 West Midlands 189 17.5 North-West 227 17.3 England 1,609 16 Wales 90 13.8 Scotland 245 23.7 Northern Ireland 42 15.1
Council Tax Benefit Recipients by the Government Standard Statistical Regions May 1994 GSS region Number of cases in receipt of Council Tax Benefit (thousands) As a percentage of the pensioner population South East (excluding London) 299 20.9 London (Inner and Outer) 433 — North 187 28.3 Yorkshire and Humberside 297 28.5 East Midlands 192 22.7 East Anglia 102 22.0 South-West 213 18.8 West Midlands 305 28.3 North-West 362 27.5 England 2,390 23.8 Wales 135 20.7 Scotland 304 29.4 Northern Ireland — — Notes for all Tables:
1. London and the South-East regions have been added together for the population estimate.
2. Figures are rounded to the nearest thousand and percentages to one decimal place.
3. 1994 Income Support figures are not yet available for Northern Ireland.
4. Council Tax Benefit does not apply in Northern Ireland.
5. Figures for HB/CTB are for benefit units which may be a single person or a couple.
6. Pensioners are defined as either a claimant or partner aged 60 or over except for figures for Northern Ireland where claimant or partner are aged 65 or over.
Sources:
Income Support Statistics Annual/Quarterly Enquiries May 1994. Office of Population Censuses and Surveys mid year estimate 1993. Housing Benefit Management Information Systems Annual 1 per cent. sample.