HC Deb 15 February 1991 vol 185 cc632-3W
Mr. Andrew Bowden

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will estimate the total number of pensioners who do not claim income support to which they would be entitled; and how many of these have savings below £1,000.

Miss Widdecombe

The information requested is not available. Estimates of take-up for the income-related benefits introduced following the 1988 reforms will be published in due course from the 1989 family expenditure survey.

Mr. Andrew Bowden

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will estimate the number of pensioners claiming income support who have savings of less than £1,000.

Miss Widdecombe

We estimate that, including partners, there are nearly 1.5 million people of pensionable age1 claiming income support who have savings of less than £1,000.

(Source: Annual Statistical Enquiry 1989)

1 Men aged 65 and over, and women aged 60 and over.