§ 29. Mr. Peter BottomleyTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if she will estimate the average (i) costs to and (ii) income from public funds of(a) a teenager and (b) a pensioner in a household. [29104]
§ Mr. Keith BradleyThe information is not available in the format requested. The average weekly Social Security benefit income for all benefit units (including those who receive no benefit) headed by a teenager is £10 per week, and by a pensioner is £101 per week.
Notes:
(i)A benefit unit headed by a teenager is defined as a single or couple living as married plus any dependent children where the head is aged 16 to 19 inclusive. A pensioner benefit unit is similarly defined and where the head is at least state pension age (65 for men, 60 for women).
(ii)Social Security benefit income includes all income and non-income related benefits and excludes Social Fund loans.
(iii)Figures are based on information from the 1995–96 Family Resources Survey. The 1995–96 survey is the latest for which data are available.
(iv)The estimates are based on sample counts which have been adjusted for non-response using multi-purpose grossing factors which control for region, Council Tax Band and a number of demographic variables. Estimates are subject to sampling error and to variability in non-response.