HL Deb 21 November 2001 vol 628 cc148-9WA
Lord Ashley of Stoke

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What is their estimate of the number of old age pensioners and the number of severely disabled people. [HL1253]

Baroness Hollis of Heigham

The information requested is not available. Such information as is available is shown below.

The number of people in receipt of retirement pension at 31 March 2001 was 11.1 million.

The number of severely disabled people cannot be estimated on an equivalent basis. However, responses to the 1996–97 Disability Survey suggested that about 1.84 million people living in private households could be defined, on the basis of their responses, as being "seriously disabled."

Notes:

1. The retirement pension figures are taken from Pension Strategy Computer System and include GB and overseas pensioners but exclude Northern Ireland cases.