§ Mr. Frank FieldTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is the average weekly payment of(a) unemployment benefit, (b) sickness benefit, (c) invalidity benefit and (d) retirement pension received by a single claimant.
§ Mrs. Gillian ShephardInformation is not available in the precise form requested. The table shows the average weekly payments of unemployment benefit, invalidity benefit and retirement pension, at the latest available dates, to persons without adult dependants. They may be single, married, widowed or divorced. I regret that similar information is not available for sickness benefit, but the average payment to all sickness beneficiaries at 2 April 1988 was £33.65.
Type of benefit Average weekly payment to persons without adult dependants Unemployment benefit £34.41 (at May 1989) Invalidity benefit £46.74 (at 2 April 1988) Retirement pension1 £38.87 (at 31 March 1989) 1 Contributory retirement pension only.