§ 21. Mr. GregoryTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many pensioners are estimated to have benefited from increases in the pensioner premium in income support.
§ Miss WiddecombeSince October 1989 nearly 1.5 million pensioner claimants have gained directly from increases in income support premiums. And this takes no account of the millions who have benefited because improvements in income support levels have increased their entitlement to housing benefit and community charge benefit. We have added some £300 million to pensioner premiums over and above normal upratings in less than two years.