§ Mr. Sayeedasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the number of pensioners with gross incomes (a) over £20,000, (b) between £10,000 and £20,000, (c) between £5,000 and £10,000 and (d) receiving supplementary benefit; and if he will break down each figure into the following categories (i) lone pensioners, (ii) married couples and (iii) any other types of family unit.
§ Mr. Whitney[pursuant to the reply, 17 December, c. 46–7]: Based on an analysis of the incomes of people over pensionable age recorded in the 1981 family expenditure survey and deflating the respective gross income levels to 1981 equivalent values, it is estimated that the distribution of the gross incomes of pensioner family units is as shown in the table.
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Family Type—Head Over Pension Age married couples single persons all pensioner families Gross Income pa at Nov 1984 value No* Thousands per cent. No* Thousands per cent. No* Thousands per cent. Under £5,000 a. receiving supplementary benefit† 300 13 1,440 34 1,740 27 b. all families over pension age (including those with supplementary benefit at a) 1,500 65 3,950 93 5,400 83 £5,000 but under £10,000 600 26 250 6 850 13 £10,000 but under £20,000 200 9 ‡ 1 250 4 £20,000 and over ‡ — — — ‡ — Total* 2,300 100 4,250 100 6,550 100 Notes: * FES based estimated are rounded to the nearest 50,000; totals may therefore not sum. †Source: supplementary benefits annual enquiry 1981. ‡Less than 50,000.