HC Deb 25 November 1996 vol 286 cc109-10W
Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what estimate he has made of the number of pensioners who depend (a) wholly and (b) very largely on state pension, broken down by (i) standard region of England, (ii) England, (iii) Wales, (iv) Scotland and (v) the United Kingdom; and in each case what are the figures as a percentage of the population of that area. [5017]

Mr. Heald

The information is not available in the format requested. Such information as is available is in the table.

Due to the small sample size of the family expenditure survey and the method of grossing applied to the figures, it is not possible to provide reliable estimates for regions or individual countries within the United Kingdom.

Numbers of pensioner units dependent upon state pension in the united kingdom
Pensioner units Numbers Proportion of all pensioner units per cent. Proportion of overall population (benefit units)
Wholly Dependent 150,000 2 Negligible
"Very Largely Dependent" (75 per cent. + per cent.) 1,600,000 23 5 per cent.

Notes:

1. For the purposes of this reply, the term "very largely dependent" has been interpreted to mean those pensioner units who receive 75 per cent, or more of their income from state pensions.

2. For the purposes of this reply, "state pensions" includes retirement pension, widows benefits, incapacity benefit and unemployment benefit for those over state pension age. The estimates include SERPS and graduated retirement benefit.

3. Estimates of numbers of pensioner units are shown to the nearest 50,000. Percentages are shown to the nearest whole percentile. Any estimate of less than 25,000 or less than 0.5 per cent. is labelled negligible. The estimate of the proportion of the entire population is an estimate of the proportion of the total number of benefit units, as defined in the households below average income series. A benefit unit is defined as being either a single person or a couple, including any children aged 16 years or under and single children in full time education aged 16 to 18. A pensioner unit is defined as being a single person over state pension age, or a couple where the husband is over state pension age.:

Source: Pensioners' incomes series 1993, based mainly on data from the 1993 family expenditure survey.