HC Deb 27 March 1990 vol 170 cc161-3W
Mr. Andrew Bowden

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) if, on the basis of data in the 1987 family expenditure survey, he will list the cash and percentage changes in real equivalised incomes of each decile group of pensioner households for each year since 1979;

(2) if he will give the overall increase in pensioner incomes in real terms by quintile group for each year from 1979–80 to 1986–87;

(3) what proportion of all pensioners have no income from any source other than from state benefits.

Table 1: Overall increases (percentage) in Pensioner net Incomes by Quintile Group for each year from 1979–80 to 1986–87.
Quintile 1979–1980 1980–1981 1981–1982 1982–1983 1983–1984 1894–1985 1985–1986 1986–1987 Overall
Lowest 4 5 2 6 2 -1 1 -1 19
2 2 6 3 6 1 0 2 1 24
3 1 6 2 7 -1 1 3 3 24
4 2 3 2 9 -2 1 5 5 27
Highest 2 5 -6 16 -2 4 7 14 44

Source: Family Expenditure Survey.

Table 2: Change since previous year in real equivalised incomes of each decile of pensioner households 1979–87 (£per week 1987 prices)
Decile 1979–80 1980–81 1981–82 1982–83 1983–84 1984–85 1985–86 1986–87
Lowest 1.40 3.30 0.60 4.00 0.80 -2.10 1.60 -0.80
2 0.40 4.80 0.70 4.30 1.30 -1.20 2.10 -0.10
3 0.90 4.70 1.00 4.80 1.50 -1.00 2.40 0.60
4 0.70 4.80 1.50 5.40 0.90 -0.40 3.10 0.50
5 0.90 4.60 1.80 6.00 0.30 0.40 2.90 1.80
6 0.90 4.70 1.90 6.60 0.60 -0.10 3.30 3.20
7 0.60 5.50 1.40 7.60 -0.70 0.40 3.90 4.00
8 -1.20 7.60 0.00 10.20 -0.20 2.10 5.70 4.80
9 0.00 8.10 -2.10 15.60 -3.30 7.20 5.40 7.70
Highest 8.80 14.40 -20.60 46.80 -1.70 -1.90 30.70 43.10
Average 1.40 6.20 -1.40 11.10 0.10 0.20 6.10 6.50
Increase since 1979 1.40 7.60 6.30 17.40 17.50 17.70 23.90 30.30

Table 3: Percentage change since previous year of real equivalised incomes of each decile of pensioner households 1979–1987
Decile 1979–80 1980–81 1981–82 1982–83 1983–84 1984–85 1985–86 1986–87
Lowest 2 5 1 6 1 -3 2 -1
2 1 7 1 6 2 -1 3 0
3 1 6 1 6 2 -1 3 1
4 1 6 2 6 1 0 3 1
5 1 5 2 7 0 0 3 2
6 1 5 2 7 1 0 3 3
7 1 6 1 7 1 0 3 3
8 -1 7 0 9 0 2 4 4
9 0 6 -1 11 -2 5 3 5
Highest 4 6 9 21 -1 -1 12 15
Average 1 6 -1 10 0 0 5 5
Increase since 1979 1 7 6 17 17 17 23 31

Source: Family Expenditure Survey 1987.

Note: In common with all other surveys, the Family Expenditure Survey draws information from a random sample of the population. This means that the FES will occasionally include some individuals whose weekly incomes are considerably higher or lower than those of the remainder of their quantile. The unrepresentative income of such individuals may cause wide swings in the figures particularly in year-to-year comparisons and when dis-aggregated into quantiles. In general, when viewed over the long term, the data provides a reliable indication of the movement in average weekly income.

Mr. Andrew Bowden

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is the proportion of(a) all pensioners, (b) single male pensioners, (c) single female pensioners, (d) pensioner couples, (e) single women aged 75 years or over, (f) single men aged 75 years or over, (g) couples where at least one partner is aged 75 years or over,

Mrs. Gillian Shephard

The latest available information shows that in 1987, 15.9 per cent. of pensioner tax units received all their income from state benefits. This compares favourably with the figures for 1979 when 22.5 per cent. of pensioner tax units received all their income from the state benefits.

The information requested on

  1. 1. the overall increase in pensioner incomes by quintile group; and
  2. 2. the cash and percentage changes in real equivalised incomes of each decile group of pensioner households;

is set out in the tables.

who are in receipt of an occupational pension on the basis of the 1987 family expenditure survey; and for each group what is the mean and median amount received.

Mrs. Gillian Shephard

The information requested is set out in the table.

Table: Pensioners with occupational pensions
Proportion with occupational pension Per cent. Mean amount received Median amount received
£ £
All pensioners 52 44.80 24.30
Single male pensioners 53 43.30 21.50
Single male pensioners 39 33.80 19.20
Pensioner couples 69 53.30 30.00
Single women 75 or over 29 34.30 19.00
Couples Where at least one partner is 75 or over 65 51.00 25.40

Notes:

  1. 1. Source: Family Expenditure Survey 1987.
  2. 2. All figures refer to pensioner tax units. A tax unit is a single person of pensionable age or a couple where the man is of pensionable age.
  3. 3. £s per week at 1987 prices.
  4. 4. Average and median amounts are based on the number of pensioners actually in receipt of occupational pensions.