HC Deb 21 April 1988 vol 131 cc543-4W
Mr. Andrew Bowden

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) if he will estimate the number of single pensioners(a) aged 65 to 79 years and (b) aged 80 years and over liable to income tax who both claim the age allowance and are in receipt of housing benefit who will receive reductions in housing benefit of (i) up to £1 per week, (ii) between £l and £2 per week, (iii) between £2 and £3 per week, (iv) between £3 and £4 per week, (v) between £4 and £5 per week and (vi) £5 per week or over from 11 April; and how many in each age group will lose all entitlement to housing benefit;

(2) if he will estimate the number of pensioner couples claiming (a) the lower and (b) the higher age allowance and in receipt of housing benefit who will receive reductions in housing benefit of (i) up to £1 per week, (ii) £1 to £2 per week, (iii) £2 to £3 per week, (iv) £3 to £4 per week, (v) £4 to £5 per week and (vi) £5 per week and over from 11 April, and in each age group how many will lose all entitlement to housing benefit.

(3) if he will estimate the number of single pensioners and pensioner couples (a) aged between 65 and 79 years and (b) aged 80 years or over who receive both an age allowance and housing benefit who will be (c) better off and (d) worse off by (1) up to £1 per week, (2) £1 to £2 per week, (3) £2 to £3 per week, (4) £3 to £4 per week, (5) £4 to £5 per week, and (6) £5 per week and over when the increases in the age allowances and the housing benefit regulations 1987 take effect in April.

Mr. Portillo

The information requested is given in the tables.

Increases in entitlement1
Singles6 Couples
Weekly amount 65–79 80+ 65–79 80+
1. up to £1 10 * * *
2. £1–2 10 * * *
3. £2–3 10 10 * *
4. £3–4 * * * *
5. £4–5 * * * *
6. £5+ * * * *
Total 30 10 * *

Reduction in entitlement1
(thousands)
Singles6 Couples
Weekly amount 65–79 80+ 65–79 80+
1. up to £1 50 10 40 10
2. £1–2 60 10 30 *

Singles6 Couples
Weekly amount 65–79 80+ 65–79 80+
3. £2–3 50 20 40 *
4. £3–4 20 * 30 *
5. £4–5 10 * 10 *
6. £5+ 30 * 10 *
Total 210 40 160 10
Numbers losing all entitlement5 140 40 100 10
* denotes a number of less than 10,000
Notes:
1 Rounded to nearest 10,000.
2 All who are liable to income tax are assumed to claim the age allowance and therefore the figures in the table are based on this assumption.
3 Based on the "Impact of the Reformed Structure of Income Related Benefits" published in October 1987 and adjusted to take account of the 1988 Budget announcement.
4 Totals may not add up exactly due to rounding.
5 The numbers losing all entitlement are included in the table showing the weekly loss.
6 All single pensioners in these tables will have a taxable income in excess of £56.92 per week and for couples it will be in excess of £89.90 per week.

Mr. Andrew Bowden

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) if he will state the number of retirement pensioners(a) aged between 65 and 79 years and (b) aged 80 years and over who both pay income tax and receive housing benefit;

(2) if he will state the number of pensioners (a) aged between 65 and 79 years and (b) aged 80 years and over who both claim the age allowance and receive housing benefit.

Mr. Portillo

The numbers of retirement pensioners in Great Britain who both pay income tax and receive housing benefit during 1987–88, in the requested age bands, are estimated to be as follows:

Number
Aged between 65 and 79 years 330,000
Aged 80 years and over 90,000

Notes:

1. Source Family Expenditure Surveys 1984 and 1985.

2. Married or unmarried couples count as one unit.

Mr. Andrew Bowden

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will state the number of retirement pensioners(a) aged between 65 and 79 years and (b) aged 80 years and over who will both pay income tax and be entitled to housing benefit from 11 April.

Mr. Portillo

The information requested is as follows:

Number
Aged between 65 and 79 years 130,000
Aged 80 years and over 30,000

Note:

1. Based on the "Impact of the Reformed Structure of Income Related Benefits" published in October 1987 and adjusted to take account of the 1988 Budget announcement.

2. Married and unmarried couples count as one unit.