§ Mr. Lomasasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the estimated proportion of persons in receipt of retirement pensions, sickness benefit, unemployment benefit and widow's benefit who are receiving supplementary allowances at the latest available date.
§ Mr. PentlandThe figures are for September, 1968, except for unemployment benefit which is November, 1968.
Unemployment benefit 20.2 Retirement pensions 27.9 Sickness benefit 16.0 Widow's benefits (excluding widows basic pensions) 21.3 For retirement pensions the proportion is given on a household basis because, while a man and wife living together will often both be National Insurance beneficiaries, only a single payment of supplementary benefit is made.
§ Mr. Lomasasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what was the number of weekly allowances of supplementary benefits paid in 1965, 1966, 1967 and 1968 compared with 1961, 1962, 1963 and 1964.
§ Mr. PentlandThe table shows, in thousands, the number of recipients of 213W regular weekly payments of national assistance (1961 to 1965) and supplementary benefits (1966 to 1968) as at the end of each year.
Year No. 1961 … … … 1,844 1962 … … … 2,007 1963 … … … 1,971 1964 … … … 1,961 1965 … … … 1,997 1966 … … … 2,495 1967 … … … 2,577 1968 … … … 2,654
STANDARD RATES OF THE PRINCIPAL SOCIAL SECURITY BENEFITS AS A PERCENTAGE OF AVERAGE EARNINGS (1) Retirement Pension Widow's Pension National Assistance Supplementary Benefit Scale Rates Single Person Married couple with no children (R.P.) Family Allowance for a three child family Single Householder Married couple with no children January, 1945 (2)(a) … … 8.4 16.8 — — — April, 1950 … … 17.8 28.8 6.9 16.5 27.4 April, 1955 (3) … … 18.4 29.9 7.4 17.2 29.0 April, 1960 … … 17.7 28.4 6.4 17.7 30.1 April, 1964 … … 19.2 30.9 5.1 18.0 29.7 April, 1968 … … 20.2 32.8 7.2 19.3 31.7 October, 1968 … … 19.6 31.7 8.3 19.8 32.4
Sickness Benefit Unemployment Benefit Injury Benefit Flat-Rate Including Earnings Related Supplement Flat-Rate Including Earnings Related Supplement Single Person Married couple with no children Single Person Married couple with no children Single Person Married couple with no children Single Person Married couple with no children January, 1945 (2)(b) … … 20.1 33.5 — — — — — — January, 1945 (2)(c) … … 15.1 15.1 — — — — — — April, 1950 … … 17.8 28.8 — — 30.9 41.9 — — April, 1955 (3) … … 18.4 29.9 — — 31.0 42.5 — — April, 1960 … … 17.7 28.4 — — 30.1 40.8 — — April, 1964 … … 19.2 30.9 — — 32.6 44.4 — — April, 1968 (4) … … 20.2 32.8 38.4 51.0 32.6 45.1 50.8 63.3 October, 1968 (4) … … 19.6 31.7 38.9 51.1 31.5 43.7 50.9 63.0 Notes:
(1) Average earnings of men employed in manual occupations in manufacturing and some of the principal non-manufacturing industries covered by the Department of Employment and Productivity's half yearly enquiry into earnings.
(2) Corresponding benefits payable under Acts in force prior to the introduction of the National Insurance Scheme:
- (a) Old Age Pension and Widow's Pension.
- (b) Unemployment Benefit.
- (c) Sickness Benefit.
(3) Applies to rates of benefit introduced in April and May, 1955.
(4) The earnings-related benefits are calculated on the basis that the beneficiary was receiving average weekly earnings during the relevant tax years.