Pensioners (Hansard, 19 October 1998)

§ 27. Mr. Gapes
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will make a statement on his Department's assistance for pensioners. [53502]

§ Angela Eagle
The £2.5 billion package of measures we announced in July will help all pensioners, but particularly the poorest 1.5 million pensioners entitled to income support will benefit from an above-inflation increase next April and we will begin a programme of action to tackle the problem of pensioners' not claiming their income support entitlement. In addition, all pensioner households will receive an annual winter fuel payment of £20 and all pensioners will be eligible for free eye tests and concessionary travel.

§ Mr. Webb
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is his latest estimate of the number of(a) single male pensioners, (b) single female pensioners and (c) married pensioners who are aged (i) 60 to 64, (ii) 65 to 69, (iii) 70 to 74, (iv) 75 to 79 and (v) 80 or above, who are failing to take up the income support to which they are entitled; and what is the total amount unclaimed in each category. [55636]

§ Mr. Denham
The information is set out in the table. We recently announced a £2.5 billion package of help for pensioners. The package includes action to help pensioners get the Income Support to which they are entitled.

Number of pensioners not claiming income support

Category Number of non-recipients Total unclaimed (£)

Single men 60–64¹ 20,000 25,000,000

Single men 65–69¹ 10,000 5,000,000

Single men 70–74¹ 10,000 5,000,000

Single men 75–79¹ 20,000 5,000,000

Single men 80+ 40,000 25,000,000

Single women 60–64¹ 30,000 25,000,000

Single women 65–69 50,000 25,000,000

Single women 70–74 110,000 65,000,000

Single women 75–79 150,000 90,000,000

Single women 80+ 290,000 250,000,000

Couples 60–64¹ 50,000 95,000,000

Couples 65–69¹ 30,000 40,000,000

958W

Number of pensioners not claiming income support

Category Number of non-recipients Total unclaimed (£)

Couples 70–74¹ 20,000 15,000,000

Couples 75–79¹ 20,000 15,000,000

Couples 80+¹ 30,000 20,000,000

Total 880,000 705,000,000

¹ These figures are based on small samples and should be treated with particular caution

Notes:
1. The figures for the number of recipients rounded to the nearest 10,000. The figures for amounts not taken up are rounded to the nearest £5 million. These estimated figures are based on the 1996–97 Family Resources Survey and are subject to some degree of error
2. The age of the couple has been defined by the age of the oldest partner

Number of pensioners not claiming income support
Category	Number of non-recipients	Total unclaimed (£)
Single men 60–64¹	20,000	25,000,000
Single men 65–69¹	10,000	5,000,000
Single men 70–74¹	10,000	5,000,000
Single men 75–79¹	20,000	5,000,000
Single men 80+	40,000	25,000,000
Single women 60–64¹	30,000	25,000,000
Single women 65–69	50,000	25,000,000
Single women 70–74	110,000	65,000,000
Single women 75–79	150,000	90,000,000
Single women 80+	290,000	250,000,000
Couples 60–64¹	50,000	95,000,000
Couples 65–69¹	30,000	40,000,000