HC Deb 26 March 1975 vol 889 cc194-6W
Mr. D. E. Thomas

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) what was the value of supplementary benefit for (1) a single householder (2) a couple with no children (3) a couple with two children, both under 5 and (4) a couple with four children, two under 5 and two aged between 5 and 10, as a percentage of average gross industrial earnings and as a percentage of average net industrial earnings in 1974;

(2) what was the value of unemployment and sickness benefit as a percentage of average gross industrial earnings and of average net industrial earnings in 1974;

(3) what was the value of retirement pensions as a percentage of average gross industrial earnings and of average net industrial earnings in July 1974 and October 1974;

(4) what is the level of invalidity allowances, and invalidity pensions, as percen-

Benefit as a percentage of net average earnings* Benefit as a percentage of gross average earnings* after deductions for income tax and national insurance contributions
Benefit and family size July 974 October 1974 July 1974 October 1974
SUPPLEMENTARY BENEFIT (Scale rates)
Single householder 17.9 17.3 25.6 25.0
Couple with no children 29.0 28.1 39.8 38.8
Couple with two children under 5 39.2 37.9 50.2 49.1
Couple with four children, two under 5, two between 5 and 10 51.6 49.9 63.0 61.7
UNEMPLOYMENT/SICKNESS BENEFIT (plus earnings-related supplement)†
Single person 34.8 33.6 49.9 48.6
Married couple 46.1 44.5 63.1 61.6
Married couple with two children 55.6 53.8 71.2 69.6
RETIREMENT PENSION
Single person 21.3 20.6 30.5 29.7
Married couple 34.0 32.9 46.6 45.5
INVALIDITY BENEFIT
Invalidity Pension:
Single person 21.3 20.6 30.5 29.7
Married couple 34.0 32.9 46.6 45.5
Invalidity Pension plus invalidity allowance at (a) higher rate, (b) middle rate, (c) lower rate:
Single person:
(a) 25.6 24.8 36.7 35.8
(b) 24.0 23.2 34.5 33.6
(c) 22.6 21.9 32.5 31.7
Married couple:
(a) 38.4 37.1 52.6 51.4
(b) 36.8 35.6 50.4 49.2
(c) 35.4 34.2 48.5 47.4
Married couple with two children:
(a) 57.3 55.4 73.4 71.7
(b) 55.7 53.9 71.3 69.7
(c) 54.3 52.5 69.5 68.0
* Estimated average earnings of adult male full-time manual workers in manufacturing and certain other industries based on the Department of Employment's regular October enquiry.
†Earnings throughout relevant income tax year 1972–73 assumed to be at a weekly rate equal to average earnings in October 1972.

Mr. Richard Wainwright

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services What was the value of the married per-son s retirement pension as a percentage of average earnings for the years 1971 to 1974.

Mr. Alec Jones

The information is as follows:

RETIRMENT PENSION OF A MARRIED COUPLE AS A PERCENTAGE OF AVERAGE EARNINGS*
Year Retirement pension as a percentage of gross earnings Retirement pension as a percentage of net earnings
1971 31.4 41.8
1972 30.4 39.8
1973 30.5 40.7
1974 32.9 45.5

tages of average gross industrial earnings and of average net industrial earnings in (a) July 1974 and (b) October 1974.

Mr. Alec Jones

The information requested is given in the table below* Average earnings of male adult, full-time, manual workers in manufacturing and certain other industries as determined by the Department of Employment's regular October enquiry. † Earnings after deduction of tax and national insurance contributions.

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