HC Deb 05 February 1997 vol 289 cc637-8W
Sir Andrew Bowden

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what was the value of the basic state pension for(a) single pensioners and (b) pensioner couples for each year between November 1979 and April 1997; and what it would have been if it had been uprated in line with whichever was the higher of average earnings or prices. [14306]

Mr. Heald

The information is in the table.

£ per week
Single pensioner Pensioner couples
Uprating date Actual rate Higher of average earnings or prices Actual rate Higher of average earnings or prices
November 1979 23.30 23.30 37.30 37.30
November 1980 27.15 27.60 43.45 44.20
November 1981 29.60 30.90 47.35 49.50
November 1982 32.85 33.50 52.55 53.65
November 1983 34.05 36.40 54.50 58.30
November 1984 35.80 38.25 57.30 61.25
November 1985 38.30 41.60 61.30 66.60
July 1986 38.70 43.45 61.95 69.55
April 1987 39.50 45.90 63.25 73.45
April 1988 41.15 49.50 65.90 79.20
April 1989 43.60 53.90 69.80 86.25
April 1990 46.90 59.15 75.10 94.65
April 1991 52.00 65.60 83.25 104.95
April 1992 54.15 70.80 86.70 113.25
April 1993 56.10 74.25 89.80 118.80
April 1994 57.60 76.40 92.10 122.25
April 1995 58.85 79.45 94.10 127.15
April 1996 61.15 82.55 97.75 132.10
April 1997 62.45 86.00 99.85 137.65

1. All calculations are rounded to the nearest 5p at each uprating date.

2. The alternative uprating has been calculated using either the average earnings index (whole economy unadjusted) as published by the Office for National Statistics or the retail prices index (all items), whichever was the higher.