§ Mr. Robin CookTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what was the income of pensioners with no other source of income than state benefits and excluding housing benefit payments as a proportion of the average earnings of all male workers in each year since 1974.
§ Mr. Peter LloydThe information requested cannot be produced on a consistent basis for each year since 1974. The table shows the requested information on a consistent basis for the available years.
Pensioners' Average Gross Income Less Housing Benefit as a Percentage of Average Male Earnings Percentage 1984 25 1985 24 1986 24 78W
Reasons for refusal of Social Fund loans and grants 1988–89 Loans Grants Number of times reason given As a percentage of all refusals Number of times reason given As a percentage of all refusals Savings over £500 sufficient to meet cost 938 0.3 2,498 1.7 Not in receipt of IS 33,613 9.7 n.a. n.a. Not in receipt of IS for 26 weeks 99,907 27.2 n.a. n.a. Not in receipt of IS and unlikely to become entitled n.a. n.a. 15,842 10.9 Excluded items 30,759 8.4 9,563 6.6 Excluded persons 1,094 0.3 13,734 9.4 Note:
1. Pensioners are defined as tax units with no private income.
2. Prior to 1983 Housing Benefit was contained within Supplementary Benefit.