HC Deb 28 November 1995 vol 267 cc612-3W
Mr. Simon Hughes

to ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many people have claimed war widows and war disablement pension in each year since 1980. [1659]

Mr. Heald

The information is in the tables:

Claims for war widow's pension
Year Number
1980 3,400
1981 2,100
1982 3,350
1983 3,100
1984 2,850
1985 2,700
1986 2,800
1987 3,000
1988 3,100
1989 3,009
1990 4,027
1991 3,578
1992 3,548
1993 3,570
1994 4,283
1995 113,476
1 January to October.

The 1995 figure includes 9,878 claims for restoration of the war widow's pension made as a result of the change introduced in the Pensions Act 1995. The war widow's pension is withdrawn on re-marriage; the Act provided that it may be reclaimed, for instance, on subsequent widowhood or divorce.

War disablement pension: First Claims
Year Number
1980 5,896
1981 4,909
1982 5,532
1983 5,782
1984 4,468
1985 6,760
1986 7,225
1987 9,345
War disablement pension: First Claims
Year Number
1988 13,173
1989 17,167
1990 20,214
1991 36,527
1992 116,605
1993 139,757
1994 51,947
1995 130,560
1January to October.
War disablement pension: claims for further conditions (additional disablement)
Year Number
1989 3,321
1990 4,874
1991 6,354
1992 12,654
1993 18,089
1994 13,598
1995 110,138
1January to October.

This information is available only from 1989.