HC Deb 08 December 1978 vol 959 cc155-6W
Mr. Arnold

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is his latest estimate of the number of retirement pensioners entitled to receive supplementary benefit who do not apply for such benefit.

Mr. Orme:

In December 1976, the latest date for which information is available, there were an estimated 580,000 persons over pension age entitled to but not receiving supplementary benefit.

NOTES: 1. The estimates are based on DHSS analysis of incomes and other information recorded by respondents to the Family Expenditure Survey for 1976. All figures are rounded to the nearest 10,000 and subject to sampling error.

2. The estimate refers only to the population living in private households; families and persons in institutions are not included.