§ 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 received(a) income support, (b) housing benefit and (c) council tax benefit. [17484]
§ Mr. HealdThe information is in the tables. The information for May 1994 corrects that given in my reply of 9 January 1996,Official Report, columns 171–72.
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Income support pensioner recipients by region: May 1995 GSS region Number of claimants Proportion of the pensioner population (percentage) South East 444,000 12.7 South East (except London) 236,000 10.4 London (inner/outer) 209,000 17.0 North 101,000 15.4 Yorkshire and Humberside 157,000 15.1 East Midlands 107,000 12.6 East Anglia 55,000 11.8 South West 116,000 10.2 West Midlands 173,000 16.0 North West 218,000 16.7 England 1,372,000 13.7 Scotland 165,000 15.9 Wales 95,000 14.6 Total (Great Britain) 1,632,000 13.9 Northern Ireland 59,000 21.0 Total (United Kingdom) 1,690,000 14.1
Housing benefit pensioner recipients by region: May 1995 GSS region Number of claimants Proportion of the pensioner population (percentage) South East 539,000 15.4 South East (except London) 286,000 12.6 London (inner/outer) 253,000 20.6 North 135,000 20.6 Yorkshire and Humberside 196,000 18.8 East Midlands 123,000 14.5 East Anglia 68,000 14.5 South West 128,000 11.2 West Midlands 188,000 17.4 North West 231,000 17.7 England 1,609,000 16.0 Scotland 234,000 22.6 Wales 88,000 13.5 Total (Great Britain) 1,932,000 16.5 Northern Ireland 42,000 15.0 Total (United Kingdom) 1,974,000 16.4
Council tax benefit pensioner recipients by region: May 1995 GSS region Number of claimants Proportion of the pensioner population (percentage) South East 732,000 20.9 South East (except London) 424,000 18.7 London (inner/outer) 308,000 25.0 North 184,000 27.9 Yorkshire and Humberside 283,000 27.2 East Midlands 193,000 22.6 East Anglia 101,000 21.5 South West 203,000 17.8 West Midlands 293,000 27.1 North West 360,000 27.6 England 2,347,000 23.4 Scotland 304,000 29.4 Wales 132,000 20.3 Great Britain 2,784,000 23.7 Northern Ireland n/a n/a United Kingdom n/a n/a Notes:
1. Figures are rounded to the nearest thousand. Percentages are given to one decimal place.
2. A case is defined as being a pensioner if in receipt of the pensioner premium, higher pensioner premium or enhanced pensioner premium. It excludes those aged 60 or over without a premium, i.e. preserved right residential care cases.
3. There will be an overlap between recipients of the named benefits.
4. Regions used are Government standard statistical regions.
5. Income support sample size 5 per cent.
6. Council tax benefit does not apply to Northern Ireland.
7. Figures are for benefit units which may be a single person or a couple.
Sources:
1. Income support statistics quarterly inquiry May 1995.
2. Housing benefit management information system, annual 1 per cent. sample inquiries taken at the end of May 1995.
3. Office of Population and Censuses and Surveys mid-term estimates 1995.
4. Income Support (Northern Ireland)100 per cent. sample May 1995.
5. Northern Ireland Housing Executive inquiry taken at 15 December 1995.
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Housing benefit pensioner recipients by region: May 1994 GSS region Number of claimants Proportion of the pensioner population (percentage) South East (except London) 283,000 15.4 London (inner/outer) 256,000 1— North 136,000 20.6 Yorkshire and Humberside 205,000 19.7 East Midlands 120,000 14.2 East Anglia 66,000 14.2 South West 127,000 11.2 West Midlands 189,000 17.5 North West 227,000 17.3 England 1,609,000 16.0 Scotland 245,000 23.7 Wales 90,000 13.8 Total (Great Britain) 1,944,000 16.6 Northern Ireland 42,000 15.1 Total (United Kingdom) 1,986,000 16.5 Note:
1 London and South-east regions have been added together for the population estimate.
Council tax benefit pensioner recipients by region: May 1994 GSS region Number of claimants Proportion of the pensioner population (percentage) South East (except London) 433,000 20.9 London (inner/outer) 299,000 1— North 187,000 28.3 Yorkshire and Humberside 297,000 28.5 East Midlands 192,000 22.7 East Anglia 102,000 22.0 South west 213,000 18.8 West Midlands 305,000 28.3 North west 362,000 27.5 England 2,390,000 23.8 Scotland 304,000 29.4 Wales 135,000 20.7 Great Britain 2,829,000 24.1 Northern Ireland n/a n/a United Kingdom n/a n/a Notes: 1 London and South-east regions have been added together for the population estimate. 1. In each table the figures in italics were transposed in error in the original reply.
2. Figures are rounded to the nearest thousand. Percentages are given to one decimal place.
3. Regions used are Government standard statistical regions.
4. Figures for housing benefit council tax benefit are for benefit units which may be a single person or a couple.
5. Pensioners are defined as either a claimant or partner aged 60 or over except for the figures for Northern Ireland where claimant or partner are aged 65 or over.
6. Council tax benefit does not apply in Northern Ireland.
Sources:
1. Housing benefit management information system, annual 1 per cent. sample inquiry taken at the end of May 1994.
2. Office of Population and Censuses and Surveys mid-term estimates 1993.
3. Northern Ireland Housing Executive inquiry, taken at 15 December 1995.