HL Deb 28 June 1978 vol 394 cc366-8WA
Lord VAIZEY

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether they will list the number and percentage of pensioners who are in receipts of only National Insurance, occupational pensions and/or supplementary benefit and the number and percentage of pensioners with additional earned or unearned income of:

  1. (a) Up to £5.00;
  2. (b) More than £5.00 but less than £10.00;
  3. (c) More than £10.00 but less than £15.00;
  4. (d) More than £15.00 but less than £20.00;
  5. (e) More than £20.00

Lord WELLS-PESTELL

I regret that the information is not available in the form requested. However, the following information is relevant.

In November 1976, the latest date for which the figures are available:—

  1. 1. 6,843,000 people were in receipt of a National Insurance retirement pension, but not a supplementary pension. (This figure includes wives whose husbands were in receipt of a supplementary pension.)
  2. 2. 95,000 people were in receipt of a supplementary pension but not a National Insurance retirement pension. Of these, 2,000 people were also in receipt of an occupational pension. (These figures include men whose wives may have been in receipt of a retirement pension and/or an occupational pension.)
  3. 3. 1,573,000 people were in receipt of a national insurance retirement pension and a supplementary pension. Of these 160,000 people were also in receipt of an occupational pension. (These figures refer to claimants only. The wives of some of the men may have been in receipt of a retirement pension and/or an occupational pension).

Information about the number of people in receipt of a retirement pension and an occupational pension, but not a supplementary pension is not known. The requested details of the income of pensioners is also not available.