§ Mr. Foulkesasked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many pensioners in Scotland have incomes below the supplementary benefit level; how many are in receipt of supplementary benefit; and how many have incomes of less than 20 per cent. above supplementary benefit level.
§ Mr. NewtonThe only readily available estimates relate to families where the head was over pension age, and single persons over pension age, in Scotland in 1979. The figure for those in receipt of supplementary benefit is 150,000. The figure for those not receiving supplementary benefit but with incomes
is 180,000.
- (a) below supplementary benefit level; and
- (b) above supplementary benefit level but less than 20 per cent. above
These estimates have been rounded to the nearest 10,000 and are subject to statistical error. The estimate of 150,000 has been derived from the annual statistical inquiry of supplementary benefit claimants. The estimate of 180,000 has been based on a DHSS analysis of income and other information recorded by respondents to the family expenditure survey—FES—1979. Separate estimates cannot be made for (a) and (b) without a wide area of uncertainty.
The estimates relate only to people living in private households. People in institutions are not included in the FES sample. The figure for supplementary benefit claimants has been so adjusted as to be based on similar assumptions.
Income refers to net income, less net housing costs and work expenses where appropriate. The supplementary benefit level has been taken as the appropriate long-term scale rate, with heating additions for people of 75 years and over, and children under five, where the head is a householder.
The estimate of 180,000 includes examples where the head of a family had been off work due to sickness or unemployment for less than 13 weeks at the time of the survey. In these cases, the family's normal income when the head was in work has been used in determining the level of income. Correspondingly, the figure derived from the annual statistical inquiry excludes those who had been in receipt of supplementary benefit for less than 13 weeks.