§ Sir A. Meyerasked the Secretary of State for Employment what is the average percentage of disposable income being spent on domestic heating by retired persons at the latest date for which figures are available; and how this compares with the percentage in 1973.
§ Mr. GoldingThe nearest available information is from the Family Expenditure Survey and relates to expenditure on fuel, light and power as a whole, expressed as a proportion of total expenditure, and in respect of "retired households", that is households with one or two adult members in which more than814W half the total household income is provided by persons above the age of 60 and describing themselves as retired or unoccupied. Information for 1977 will be available later this year from the special tabulations required.
Expenditure of "retired households" on fuel, light and power as a percentage of total expenditure 1973 1976 9.7 per cent. 9.5 per cent. NOTES: These percentages are subject to sampling error.