HC Deb 18 January 1994 vol 235 cc555-6W
Mr. Bowden

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is his best estimate of the number of people who draw their state retirement pension while continuing to work.

Mr. Hague

it is estimated that approximately 663,000 people in the United Kingdom receiving state retirement pension also have income from earnings.

Source: 1990 and 1991 family expenditure surveys.

Mr. Bowden

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will estimate the number of pensioners who will not receive the full 50p and 70p increases in the pension in compensation for VAT on fuel because they neither qualify for a full state pension nor claim income-related benefits.

Mr. Hague

The information is not available in the form requested.

Housing Benefit expenditure and recipients
Ealing London England
Expenditure £ millions Cases 000s Expenditure £ millions Cases 000s Expenditure £ millions Cases 000s
1988–89 24 16 683 553 3,099 3,228
1989–90 36 18 821 524 3,518 3,122
1990–91 42 19 1,062 553 4,269 3,214
1991–92 69 17 1,468 595 5,418 3,368

Notes:

Expenditure figures have been rounded to the nearest million.

Caseload figures are averages and rounded to the nearest thousand. They also include estimates for non-responding authorities.

Information is supplied for rent rebate and rent allowance cases only—rate rebate cases are excluded from the figures for 1988–89 and 1989–90.

At 31 March 1993, 937,610 retirement pensioners resident in Great Britain received a pension at less than the standard rate, 135,940 of whom were in receipt of income support, and both benefits were paid by a combined order book.

Information regarding the number receiving income support and retirement pension at less than standard rate where payment is made separately is not available.

Information regarding the number receiving retirement pension at less than standard rate and an income-related benefit other than income support is not available.

Mr. Bowden

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is his best estimate of the number of people who retire from paid employment each year.

Mr. Hague

The information is not available.

Mr. Bowden

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will give the proportion of(a) men and (b) women who deferred drawing their state pension in each year since 1988 for which figures are available.

Mr. Hague

The information is not available in the form requested.

The table shows the estimated percentage of men aged 65 to 69 and women aged 60 to 64 in Great Britain who were not in receipt of retirement pension, invalidity benefit or widow's benefit in the years 1988 to 1993. Included in the percentage figures are those who did not have underlying entitlement to retirement pension and therefore were not deferring drawing state pension.

Year Percentage of men aged 65–69 in Great Britain not in receipt of Retirement Pension or Invalidity Benefit Percentage of women aged 60–64 not in receipt of Retirement Pension, Invalidity Benefit or Widow's Benefit
1988 6 26
1989 6 28
1990 2 26
1991 3 25
1992 3 24
1993 2 23