HC Deb 04 February 1998 vol 305 cc697-9W
Mr. O'Hara

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what the state pension for(a) a single person and (b) a couple will be in 1998–99; what it would have been in 1998–99 if the pension had been uprated by the higher of the retail prices index or earnings; and what estimate he has made of (i) the gross additional costs of such increases in pension and (ii) the net cost after savings in (1) means-tested benefits and (2) increased Treasury receipts from income tax. [25300]

Mr. Denham

The value of the standard rate of basic State Retirement Pension in 1998–99 will be £64.70 for a single pensioner under 80, and £103.40 for a pensioner couple under 80. If uprated by annual growth in the Average Earnings Index (whole economy) to September 1997 the rates would be £65.05 and £103.95 respectively.

The estimated additional cost for uprating contributory Retirement Pension and all linked benefits by earnings would be £200 million. The net costs after savings in means-tested benefits would be £150 million. It is only possible to estimate the extra receipts from income tax in respect of Retirement Pension and not the linked benefits. The net cost after doing so is £130 million.

Note: The estimates have been rounded to the nearest £10 million.

Mr. O'Hara

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what(a) number and (b) proportion of pensioners in each region of the United Kingdom received (i) income support, (ii) housing benefit and (iii) council tax benefit. [24810]

Mr. Keith Bradley

The information requested is shown in the table.

Mr. O'Hara

To ask the Secretary of State for Social what (i) number and (ii) proportion of pensioners cost as a received(a) income support, (b) housing benefit, (c) council tax benefit and (d) one or more income related benefits for the last year for which figures are available.[24945]

Mr. Keith Bradley

The information requested is given in the table.

Pensioners receiving income related benefits, Great Britain May 1996
Benefit Number of recipients Proportion of all aged 60 over (per cent.)
Income Support 1,763,000 15.0
Housing Benefit 1,909,000 16.3
Council Tax Benefit 2,717,000 23.1
One or more income related benefit12 3,280,000 27.9
1 Figures are rounded to the nearest thousand, except the figure for one or more income related benefit, which is rounded to the nearest ten thousand.
2 Income related benefits are Income Support, Housing Benefit, Council Tax benefit, Family Credit and Disability Working Allowance.

Notes:

1. Information refers to benefit units which may be a single person or a couple.

2. Figures may not sum due to rounding.

3. The information excludes second adult rebate cases.

4. There is an overlap in the figures as most people receive both Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit.

5. Pensioners are defined here as being in receipt of a pensioner premium or where the claimant or partner is aged 60 or over.

Source:

1. Income Support Quarterly Statistical Enquiry, May 1996.

2. Housing Benefit Management Information System, annual 1 per cent. sample inquiries for recipients with and without Income Support taken at the end of May 1996.

3. Office for National Statistics, estimates of the population mid-term 1996.