HC Deb 23 January 2001 vol 361 cc505-6W
Mr. Willetts

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, pursuant to his answer of 18 December 2000,Official Report, columns 78–79W, what the average incomes of pensioner households for the United Kingdom were in each of the last four years for which figures are available. [146339]

Mr. Rooker

The information requested is not available for the United Kingdom. Information for Great Britain is shown in the table.

Average net income before housing costs, Great Britain
1995–96 1996–97 1997–98 1998–99
All Pensioners: Mean 174 184 186 192
All Pensioners: Median 136 145 146 148
Pensioner Couples: Mean 246 265 267 272
Pensioner Couples: Median 194 209 209 214
Single Pensioners: Mean 129 133 136 141
Single Pensioners: Medians 111 115 117 118

Notes:

  1. 1. All incomes are in £ per week and are at July 1998 prices.
  2. 2. Pensioners are defined as single people over State Pension age (65 and over for men, 60 and over for women) and couples (married or cohabiting) where the man is over State Pension age.
  3. 3. Estimates are based on survey data and therefore subject to sampling error. In particular, comparisons over short periods of time should be treated with caution, and regarded as only a broad indication of the trend.

Source:

Family Resources Surveys.

Mr. Field

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Knowsley, South (Mr. O'Hara) of 15 January 2001,Official Report, column 80W, on pensioner incomes, if he will reproduce the table disaggregated by age group for (a) pensioners aged 70 and under, (b) pensioners aged 71 to 75, (c) pensioners aged 76 to 80 and (d) pensioners aged over 80 years. [146889]

Mr. Rooker

The information is in the table.

Proportion of pensioners dependent on state benefits for at least 75 per cent. of their income by age group, 1998–99
Percentage
All ages Aged 70 and under Aged 71 to 75 Aged 76 to 80 Aged over 80 years
Single pensioners 60 51 57 62 71
Pensioner couples 35 28 34 47 49
All pensioners 50 40 47 57 67

Notes:

  1. 1. Income is defined as gross (pre-tax) income.
  2. 2. Pensioners are defined as single people over state pension age (65 for men and 60 for women) and couples (married or co-habiting) where the man is over state pension age.
  3. 3. Pensioner couples are allocated to age category based on the age of the man.
  4. 4. Estimates should be treated with caution since they are based on small sample sizes and are subject to sampling error.

Source:

Family Resources Survey 1998–99.

Mr. Field

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security on the state pension, how many(a) single pensioners in receipt of the basic state pension and (b) pensioner couples in receipt of the basic state pension are not entitled to the full value of the appropriate basic state pension. [146890]

Mr. Rooker

The information is not available.