HC Deb 02 August 1978 vol 955 cc432-3W
Sir A. Meyer

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services, in view of the fact that persons reaching the qualifying age for retirement pensions on a Friday forfeit permanently six days of pension, whether he will take steps to end this practice by ensuring that retirement pensions become payable as from the date the qualifying age is reached, instead of from the following Thursday.

Mr. Orme

Retirement pension is designed as a weekly benefit, payable in advance, and it has long been the practice for it to be paid on a regular weekly pay day. Regulations currently provide for the first payment to be made, in the majority of cases, on the Thursday following the pensioner's retirement from regular employment. This is convenient for most of those accustomed to weekly wages, in that it continues the pattern of weekly payments. It is, however, open to a person to arrange his affairs so that his first day of retirement is a Thursday, in which case, his pension is first payable on that day. I have no proposals to change the present provisions.

FAMILIES AND PERSONS WITH INCOME BELOW SUPPLEMENTARY BENEFIT LEVEL
1976 thousands
Great Britain England Wales Scotland
Families Persons Families Persons Families Persons Families Persons
1,350 2,280 1,160 1,970 80 140 110 170
Notes:
1. The estimates are based on a DHSS analysis of information recorded by respondents to the 1976 family expenditure survey. All figures are rounded to the nearest 10,000 and are subject to sampling error. Only the population living in private households is included.
2. The supplementary benefit level is taken as being the supplementary benefit scale rate(s) appropriate to the family, using the long-term rates for pensioners only. Income refers to net income from all sources less net housing costs and work expenses where appropriate.

Mr. Rooker

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will update the Written Answers given to the hon. Member for Birmingham, Perry Barr,

1. NUMBERS OF PERSONS IN FAMILIES WITH INCOMES BELOW SUPPLEMENTARY BENEFIT LEVEL: FAMILY HEAD IN FULL-TIME EMPLOYMENT OR SELF-EMPLOYED
Great Britain—1976
Number of persons 890,000
Number of families 290,000

2. NUMBERS OF FAMILIES WITH CHILDREN, AND OF CHILDREN IN SUCH FAMILIES, WITH INCOMES BILOW SUPPLEMENTARY BENEFIT LEVEL: FAMILY HEAD IN FULL-TIME EMPLOYMENT OR SELF-EMPLOYED
Great Britain—1976
Two-parent families One-parent families All families
Families Children Families Children Families Children
170,000 390,000 [10,000] [20,000] 170,000 400,000

3. NUMBERS OF CHILDREN IN FAMILIES WITH INCOMES AT VARIOUS LEVELS
Great Britain—1976
Below supplementary benefit level Above, but less than 10 per cent. above supplementary benefit level Above, but less than 40 per cent. above supplementary benefit level Receiving supplementary benefit
500,000 400,000 2,440,000 960,000

NOTES TO TABLES

1. All figures are rounded to the nearest 10,000. Consequently, the sum of the component parts may not equal the totals.

2. The estimates are based on DHSS analysis of incomes and other information recorded by respondents to the Family Expenditure Survey for 1976. The estimates are subject to sampling error; those figures in square brackets are subject to very considerable proportionate sampling error. Estimates of those normally receiving Supplementary Benefit are derived