HC Deb 11 April 1968 vol 762 cc332-3W
Mr. Eadie

asked the Minister of Social Security what percentage of the population of Scotland, England and Wales was over 65 years of age and in receipt of a retirement pension in each of the years from 1960 to the nearest available date in 1968; what was the cost; what percentage was in receipt of some form of supplementary payment; and what was the cost.

Mrs. Hart

The following tables give estimated numbers of the population in receipt of retirement pension at the end of each year. Cost figures are not available since expenditure on retirement pensions and supplementary benefits is not accounted for separately for each country:

TABLE 1(ii)
ENGLAND WALES SCOTLAND
End of Year Total Population Men and Women aged 65 or over in receipt of R.P. or C.O.A.P. as a percentage of total population Total Population Men and Women aged 65 or over in receipt of R.P. or C.O.A.P. as a percentage of total population Total Population Men and Women aged 65 or over in receipt of R.P. or C.O.A.P. as a percentage of total population
Number in thousands Number in thousands Number in thousands
1960 43,536 9.6 2,629 9.5- 5,196 8.2
1961 43,777 9.9 2,641 9.8 5,190 8.4
1962 44,189 10.0 2,657 10.0 5,201 8.7
1963 44,543 10.3 2,669 10.1 5,205 8.9
1964 44,897 10.5 + 2,685 10.5- 5,205 9.1
1965 45,222 10.8 2,697 10.6 5,197 9.4
1966 45,374 11.1 2,701 10.9 5,191 9.7

TABLE 2
NUMBER OF RETIREMENT PENSIONER HOUSEHOLDS * RECEVING SUPPLEMENT
Thousands
End of Year England Wales Scotland
1960 921 71 83
1961 907 68 81
1962 961 72 89
1963 942 70 88
1964 988 73 93
1965 1,021 75 100
1966 1,333 98 146
1967 1,318 96 143
* Some households contain more than one retirement pensioner, and include wives of all ages, e.g., at the end of 1967 there were in these households in Great Britain 27,000 wives below age 60 65,000 aged 60 to 64 and 253,000 aged 65 and over.