§ Mr. Carter-Jonesasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what proportion of people aged 80 years or over are in receipt of supplementary benefit; and how many of these have their 25p age addition absorbed by an exceptional circumstances addition.
§ Mrs. ChalkerIt is estimated that in 1978 about 29 per cent. of people aged 80 or over were receiving or were dependent on supplementary benefit. I regret that information on the number who derive no advantage from the higher supplementary benefit scale rate because their exceptional circumstances addition is correspondingly less is not available and could not be obtained without disproportionate cost.