HC Deb 02 May 1996 vol 276 cc630-5W
Mr. Denham

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many pensioners claimed(a) income support, (b) housing benefit and (c) council tax benefit in each region of the United Kingdom and in each year since 1970. [20184]

Mr. Heald

The available information relates to recipients and is given in the tables.

Thousands
Income Support claimants by Government Standard Statistical Region 1992 1993 1994 1995
East Midlands 95 100 104 104
East Anglia 51 52 52 53
South West 106 121 121 119
West Midlands 148 157 163 164
North West 198 212 216 218
Wales 87 87 90 95
Scotland 143 151 153 157
Northern Ireland 53 58 n/a n/a
United Kingdom 1, 511 1, 599 n/a n/a

Table 2: Claimants of Pension Age in Receipt of Housing Benefit
Thousands
Housing Benefit Claimants by Government Standard Statistical Regions 1992 1993 1994
South East (Excluding London) 280 281 282
London (Inner + Outer) 258 263 255
North 139 133 135
Yorkshire and Humberside 199 210 204
East Midlands 127 129 119
East Anglia 67 67 66
South West 122 133 126
West Midlands 189 203 187
North West 220 220 225
Wales 95 92 90
Scotland 247 247 243
Northern Ireland n/a n/a n/a
United Kingdom n/a n/a n/a

Table 3: Claimants of pension age in receipt of council tax benefit
Thousands
Council Tax Benefit Claimants by Government Standard Statistical Regions 1992 1993 1994
South East (Excluding London) 466 438 426
London (inner + outer) 314 297 295
North 201 182 183
Yorkshire and Humberside 310 303 292
East Midlands 224 204 189
East Anglia 110 101 100
South West 222 213 209
West Midlands 330 290 299
North West 376 349 356
Wales 144 134 134
Scotland 334 296 299
Northern Ireland n/a n/a n/a
United Kingdom n/a n/a n/a

Notes:

  1. 1. Supplementary benefit/income support data are not available for 1985 and 1988. Supplementary benefit information are not available by region prior to 1972. Supplementary benefit information for Northern Ireland is not available prior to 1978.
  2. 2. Regions from 1970–1991 are DSS administrative. The boundaries for these regions changed in 1982. Data by Government standard statistical regions are available only from 1992.
  3. 3. Housing benefit/community charge benefit is not available by region prior to 1992. Northern Ireland housing benefit/community charge benefit/council tax benefit data are not available.
  4. 4. Income support replaced supplementary benefit in 1988.
  5. 5. Community charge benefit was replaced by council tax benefit from April 1993.
  6. 6. Pensioners have been defined as male claimants aged 65 or over and female claimants aged 60 or over for supplementary benefit/income support purposes. All claimants aged 60 or over have been treated as pensioners for housing benefit/council tax purposes.
  7. 7. All numbers are rounded to the nearest thousand. Totals may not sum due to rounding.
  8. 8. Housing benefit/council tax benefit figures exclude cases where entitlement was reduced to nil after a non-dependent deduction was made.

Source:

Supplementary benefits annual statistical inquiries 1970 to 1987, supplementary benefits (Northern Ireland) annual statistical inquiries 1978 to 1987, income support annual statistical inquiries May 1989 to 1993, income support quarterly statistical inquiries May 1994 and February 1995, income support annual statistical inquiries (Northern Ireland) 1988 to 1993, housing benefit management information system annual 1 per cent. sample May 1992 to 1994.

Sir Graham Bright

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will list the benefits(a) monetary and (b) in kind that are available to old-age pensioners. [20746]

Mr. Heald

The information is as follows:

  • Monetary Benefits (including non-social Security Benefits)
  • There are various qualifying conditions for these benefits—details of which are in Departmental leaflets available from Benefits Agency and Contributions Agency offices and post offices.
  • Attendance Allowance.
  • Disability Living Allowance.
  • Invalid Care Allowance.
  • Disability Working Allowance.
  • Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit.
  • Reduced Earnings Allowance.
  • Retirement Allowance.
  • Workmen's Compensation Supplementation.
  • Pneumoconiosis, byssinosis and miscellaneous disease benefits.
  • Child Benefit.
  • One Parent Benefit.
  • Guardian's Allowance.
  • Severe Disablement Allowance (SDA).
  • Incapacity Benefit (I).
  • Statutory Sick Pay (SAP).
  • Housing Benefit.
  • Council Tax Benefit (including CAB second Adult Rebates).
  • Income Support (including higher premium rates for pensioners).
  • Family Credit.
  • The Social Fund.
  • Unemployment Benefit.
  • Retirement Pension.
  • Widow's Benefit.
  • War Pensions.
  • Higher income tax allowances are available for pensioners.
  • Pensioners Guaranteed Income Bond.
  • Other help available
  • Concessionary Travel Scheme.
  • Free NHS eyesight test.
  • Free NHS prescriptions.
  • Free NHS dental treatment.
  • Vouchers to help with the cost of glasses.
  • Help with the cost of travelling to hospital for NHS treatment.
  • Help with insulation costs through HEES.
  • Meals on Wheels.
  • Home Care Services.
  • Day Care services.
  • Provision of telephone from Social Services.

Pensioner/pensioner households drawing income support/housing benefit/council tax benefit at May 1994
Thousands
Number Percentage of all pensioners Percentage of all pensioner households
Pensioners 4,297 34 —
Pensioner households 3,425 — 39

  • Special equipment and home adaptations.
  • Special Housing.
  • Laundry.
  • A charge may be made for some of these services.

Mr. Frank Field

to ask the Secretary of State for Social security how many pensioners are currently claiming(a) income support only, (b) income support and housing benefit, (c) income support and council tax benefits, (d) income support, housing benefit and council tax benefit, (e) housing benefit only, (f) housing benefit and council tax benefit and (g) council tax benefit only. [27658]

Mr. Roger Evans

The available information is in the table.

Thousands
Benefit Pensioner households
Income Support (IS) only 455
Housing Benefit (HB) only 130
Council Tax Benefit (CTB) only 640
IS and HB 30
IS and CTB 380
IS, HB and CTB 900
HB and CTB 890
All cases 3, 425

Notes:

  1. 1. Figures are rounded to the nearest thousand. Due to rounding, totals may not sum.
  2. 2. Pensioner households have been defined as benefit units—which may be a single person or a couple-where the claimant and/or partner is aged 60 or over.
  3. 3. The number of pensioner households is based on the total number of benefit units.
  4. 4. Housing benefit/council tax benefit figures exclude cases eligible for HB/CTB but whose entitlement was nil after non-dependant deductions were accounted for. CTB figures exclude second adult rebate cases.

Source:

1. Income support statistics quarterly inquiry May 1994.

2. Housing benefit management information system annual 1 per cent. sample taken at the end of May 1994.

3. Family resources survey 1994–95.

Mr. Field

To ask the secretary of State for Social Security if he will estimate in 1979 and at the latest available date the number of(a) pensioners and (b) pensioner households drawing either income support, or housing benefit—rent rebate or allowances—or council tax benefit—rate rebate; and if he will present these data for (a) and (b) as a percentage of (i) all pensioners and (ii) all pensioner households. [27660]

Mr. Evans

The information is not available in the format requested. Such information as is available is set out in the table.

Pensioner/pensioner households drawing supplementary benefit/income support in November 1979 and May 1994
Thousands
Number Percentage of all pensioners Percentage of all pensioner households
1979 1994 1979 1994 1979 1994
Pensioners 2,139 2,047 20 19 — —
Pensioner households 1,787 1,765 — — n/a 20

Notes:

  1. 1. Comparable data on housing benefit and council tax benefit are not available for 1979. Prior to 1983, financial assistance with domestic rents and rates was provided under two separate schemes—supplementary benefit and the local authority rent rebate allowance and rent rebate schemes. Data on the local authority schemes are not available.
  2. 2. Figures are rounded to the nearest thousand. Due to rounding totals may not sum.
  3. 3. Pensioner households have been defined as benefit units—which may be a single person or a couple—where the claimant and/or partner is aged 60 or over.
  4. 4. Pensioners have been defined as the number of people in pensioner benefit units, which may include some people aged under 60—that is, where the partner is aged 60 or over.
  5. 5. The number of pensioner households is based on the total number of benefit units.
  6. 6. Housing benefit/council tax benefit figures exclude cases eligible for HB/CTB but whose entitlement was nil after non-dependent deductions were accounted for. CTB figures exclude second adult rebate cases.

Source:

1. Income support statistics quarterly inquiry May 1994.

2. Housing benefit management information system annual 1 per cent. sample taken at the end of May 1994.

3. Family resources survey 1994–95.

4. Supplementary benefit statistics annual inquiry 1979.

5. Office of Population Censuses and Surveys.

n/a=not available.

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