HC Deb 19 March 2001 vol 365 cc74-5W
Dr. David Clark

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many pensioners in(a) South Tyneside and (b) South Shields constituency were receiving Income Support in (a) 1996–97 and (b) 2000–01; and what their average benefit and average income were. [154439]

Mr. Rooker

The information is in the tables.

Compared to when this Government came to office in 1997, the average incomes of pensioners in these constituencies have risen by around £15 weekly. Over 40 per cent. of this increase can be attributed directly to help through the Minimum Income Guarantee. From this April, with the alignment of weekly Minimum Income Guarantee rates at the highest rate, no pensioner need live on less than £92.15 a week.

Dr. David Clark

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many pensioners receiving the state pension there are in(a) South Tyneside and (b) South Shields constituency; how many there were in May 1997; and how many of those were aged over 75 years. [154440]

Mr. Rooker

The information is not available in the format requested. Such information as is available is in the table.

We will increase basic state pension from April 2001 by £5 for a single person and £8 per couple. The overall costs for Great Britain as a whole will be 1.3 billion. This will benefit over 10 million British pensioners. Among them an estimated 30,400 reside in the South Tyneside local authority and an estimated 16,500 reside in the constituency of South Shields.

Retirement pensioners in receipt of state pension resident in South Tyneside local authority, South Shields constituency and Great Britain at 30 September 2000
Total recipients 75 and under Over 75
Great Britain 10,185,400 6,363,400 3,822,000
South Tyneside 30,400 20,200 10,300
South Shields 16,500 10,900 5,600
Great Britain (March 1997) 9,838,700 6,181,700 3,656,900

Notes:

  1. 1. Cases are allocated to each parliamentary constituency and district authority by matching the postcode against the 2000 version 1 of the Postcode Directory supplied by ONS.
  2. 2. Great Britain data exclude Overseas and Channel Island pensioners.
  3. 3. Figures are rounded to the nearest hundred.
  4. 4. Data by local authority or parliamentary constituency are not available prior to September 1999.

Source:

Based on a 5 per cent. sample taken from the Pension Strategy Computer System at 31 March 2000 and 31 March 1997.

Forward to