§ Mr. Austin-WalkerTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) what assessment he has made of the number of pensioners in their eighties who will receive less than pensioners in their sixties to compensate for the extra cost of VAT on their fuel bills; and if he will make a statement;
(2) how many pensioners in their eighties have no entitlement to a basic retirement pension and how many are in receipt of a special over-80s pension; and what addition they will receive towards the additional cost of VAT on fuel.
§ Mr. HagueIt is estimated that approximately 75,000 persons in Great Britain who are aged 80 or over do not receive a basic state retirement pension and that approximately 28,000 people aged 80 or over receive a non-contributory retirement pension.
Extra help towards VAT on fuel for those aged 80 or over will be available on the same general basis as for all 322W persons of pensionable age, with the exception that those not in receipt of basic pension or income support but who receive a non-contributory retirement pension, available only to persons aged 80 or over, will receive total extra help of 20p per week.
§ Mr. Austin-WalkerTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what compensation for VAT on fuel will be paid to married women with an entitlement to a reduced retirement pension based on their own contributions; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. HagueI refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for Newbury (Mr. Rendel) on 28 February at column615.
§ Mr. Austin-WalkerTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how much will be added to war disablement pensions to compensate for the additional costs of VAT on fuel; how much will be received by a war widow also in receipt of a retirement pension towards the additional cost of VAT on fuel; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. HagueThe basic war disablement pension will not be increased beyond normal price indexation. The majority of war disablement pensioners are over pension age and will receive extra help through retirement pension; others will gain through invalidity benefit or severe disablement allowance. War pensioners who choose to receive war pension unemployability supplement instead of retirement pension will receive the same extra help as retirement pensioners.
The standard war widows pension will be increased by 50p a week on top of the normal uprating. A war widow who also receives, as a result of her own contributions, the full basic retirement pension, will receive a further 50p a week compensation.