§ Mr. Ron DaviesTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Services how much average household income was in 1981, 1983 and 1985 before and after housing costs, as used in "Households Below Average Income: A Statistical Analysis."
§ Mr. Portillo[holding answer 20 June 1988]: As explained in the report of the technical review of the low-income statistics, and in the technical annex to the households below average income statistics, to enable meaningful comparisons, the actual cash incomes received by households are adjusted to reflect varying household size and composition and expressed in terms of individuals in households. National average income per individual, calculated after these adjustments, is shown in the table. The figures therefore do not reflect average cash income per household.
354W
Average incomes of individuals in households 1981 to 1985 (adjusted for family size and composition) Great Britain—current prices—weekly basis Before housing costs £ After housing costs £ 1981 104.70 93.00 1983 119.20 104.20 1985 140.95 120.80 Notes to table:
1. Household income is defined after the payment of any income tax and national insurance and the receipt of any social security benefits. Individuals within households have been ranked according to their household incomes.
2. Further details on methods and assumptions, can be found in "Households Below Average Income: A Statistical Analysis, 1981–85", copies of which are in the Library.