HC Deb 03 February 2000 vol 343 cc713-4W
Mr. Field

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what proportion of children aged under 16 years lived in households with incomes that remained(a) below 70 per cent. of average households income and (b) below 60 per cent. of median household income in at least three out of four years between 1995 and 1998. [108352]

Mr. Bayley

Estimates from the British Household Panel Survey suggest that between 1994 and 1997, the latest years for which information is available, 26 per cent. of dependant children lived in households with income below 70 per cent. of median income, and 17 per cent. lived in households with income below 60 per cent. of median income, in at least three years out of four.

Notes:

1. The British Household Panel Survey (BHPS) is based on interviews of a sample of households, and estimates may be subject to sampling error.

2. The BHPS is a longitudinal survey, tracking the same households over time, and estimates may be subject to attrition bias if particular households are more likely to leave the survey.

3. Dependant children are those aged under 16, and those 16–18 in full time education, in 1994.

4. The technical paper accompanying "Opportunity for all: Tackling poverty and social exclusion" [Cm 4445] provided an estimate of 28 per cent. of children living in households below 70 per cent. of average income for the period 1991–94. This should have read below 70 per cent. of median income. The weighting regime employed here differs slightly from that used in the estimates quoted in "Opportunity for all".

Mr. Field

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what proportion of working-age people had incomes that remained(a) below 70 per cent. of half average income and (b) below 60 per cent. of median income in at least three out of four years between 1995 and 1998. [108348]

Mr. Bayley

Estimates from the British Household Panel Survey suggest that between 1994 and 1997, the latest years for which information is available, 13 per cent. of working age people lived in households with income below 70 per cent. of median income, and 8 per cent. lived in households with income below 60 per cent. of median income, in at least three years out of four.

Notes:

1. The British Household Panel Survey (BHPS) is based on interviews of a sample of households, and estimates may be subject to sampling error.

2. The BHPS is a longitudinal survey, tracking the same households over time, and estimates may be subject to attrition bias if particular households are more likely to leave the survey.

3. The technical paper accompanying "Opportunity for all: Tackling poverty and social exclusion" [Cm 4445] provided estimates of 13 per cent. of working age people living in households below" 70 per cent. of half average income" for the period 1991–94. This should have read below 70 per cent. of median income. The weighting regime employed here differs slightly from that used in the estimates quoted in "Opportunity for all".