§ Mrs. Wiseasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will tabulate in the Official Report the supplementary benefit level (a) including average rent addition, and (b) excluding average rent addition, for (i) a single pensioner and (ii) a married pensioner couple, in 1950, 1955, 1960, 1965 and each year since 1970, including the forthcoming increase in November 1978, expressed both in actual money terms and also in terms of present money equivalents.
§ Mr. Deakins,pursuant to his reply [Official Report 26th May 1978, Vol. 950, c. 801], gave the following information:
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Single Person Married Couple (1) (2) (3) (4) Year (November) Supplementary benefit level including rent addition Supplementary benefit level excluding rent addition Value at April Column (1) (see note (i)) 1978 prices of Column (2) (see note (i)(a)) Supplementary benefit level including rent addition Supplementary benefit level excluding rent addition Value at April Column (3) (see note (i)) 1978 prices of Column (4) (see note (i)(a)) £ £ £ £ £ £ £ £ 1950(ii) … … 1.76 1.30 10.24 7.46 2.72 2.175 15.83 12.48 1955(iii) … … 2.54 1.875 11.10 8.01 3.81 3.15 16.64 13.45 1960(iii) … … 3.52 2.50 13.80 9.76 5.27 4.25 20.65 16.59 1965(iii) … … 5.29 3.80 17.38 12.56 7.77 6.275 25.53 20.73 1970(iv) … … 7.52 5.70 19.49 14.97 10.82 9.00 28.05 23.63 1971(iv) … … 8.34 6.30 19.79 15.13 11.99 9.95 28.45 23.90 1972(v) … … 9.36 7.15 20.64 16.08 13.80 11.25 30.42 25.31 1973(v) … … 10.13 8.15 20.24 16.62 15.12 12.85 30.21 26.21 1974(v) … … 13.59 10.40 22.96 17.74 20.11 16.35 33.97 27.88 1975(v) … … 17.65 13.70 23.82 18.62 26.11 21.55 35.24 29.29 1976(v) … … 20.40 15.70 23.94 18.47 30.11 24.85 35.34 29.24 1977(vi) … … 23.20 17.90 24.09 18.58 34.29 28.35 35.61 29.42 1978 … … Not yet available 19.90 — — Not yet available 31.55 — — Notes:
(i) Based on the movement in the General Index of Retail Prices.
(i)(a) Based on the movement in the General Index of Retail Prices (less housing).
The average rent addition shown is for:
(ii) Single claimants of all ages and married couples of all ages.
(iii) All claimants.
(iv) All pensioners.
(v) Single pensioners and married pensioners respectively.
(vi) Rent figure estimated.
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