HC Deb 15 February 1999 vol 325 cc542-4W
Mr. Webb

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many pensioners(a) pay income tax and receive a means-tested benefit, (b) pay income tax but do not received a means-tested benefit, (c) do not pay income tax but do receive a means-tested benefit and (d) do not pay income tax and do not receive a means-tested benefit and if he will break down the total by (i) sex, (ii) marital status and (iii) five year age bands. [69695]

Mr. Timms

The information is in the tables.

Thousand
Single male pensioners Single female pensioners Pensioner couples All pensioner benefit units
Pensioners paying income tax and receiving a means-tested benefit
60–64 10 30 20 70
65–69 10 20 10 40
70–74 20 20 10 40
75–79 10 20 * 30
80+ 10 20 * 30
Total 60 110 40 210
Pensioners paying income tax and not receiving a means-tested benefit
60–64 90 170 840 1,100
65–69 110 140 520 770
70–74 100 160 350 610
75–79 60 100 190 360
80+ 80 120 140 340
Total 440 690 2,040 3,170
Pensioners not paying income tax and not receiving a means-tested benefit
60–64 90 140 170 400
65–69 80 220 170 480
70–74 80 360 160 600
75–79 70 370 150 590
80+ 120 570 130 820
Total 440 1,660 780 2,880
Pensioners not paying income tax and receiving a means-tested benefit
60–64 30 30 110 170
65–69 40 130 270 440
70–74 40 210 310 560
75–79 40 200 200 430
80+ 50 310 150 510
Total 200 880 1,040 2,110

Notes:

1. Figures are given to the nearest 10,000 pensioner benefit units, although not necessarily accurate to that degree.

2. Figures of less than 5,000 pensioners are denoted by '*'.

3. Figures should be treated with caution since taxpaying status is not directly measured by the Family Resources Survey, but has been modelled to the 1997–98 tax system.

4. Pensioner benefit units are defined as single people aged 60 or over and couples (married or cohabiting) where at least one partner is aged 60 or over.

5. Taxpaying pensioner benefit units are defined as those where at least one individual in the benefit unit is modelled as liable to income tax.

Source:

The estimates are based on the 1995–96 Family Resources Survey and replicate those given in the answer of 5 November 1998, Official Report, columns 249–50. We anticipate that estimates based on the

Financial redress for maladministration paid for each of the principle benefits administered by the Department of Social Security in 1997–98
Type of benefit/ allowance Total number of successful claims Compensation paid for loss of statutory entitlement £ Compensation paid for actual financial loss £ Compensation paid for delay £ Compensation paid for consolatory payments £
Sickness Benefit 59 29,177 329 29,009 1,180
Invalidity Benefit 262 69,280 9,581 89,877 2,400
Incapacity Benefit 578 138,874 18,285 129,306 2,235
Retirement Benefit 796 641,169 23,421 212,668 5,600
Widows Benefit 186 150,324 5,382 70,424 150
Attendance Allowance 103 35,743 3,793 21,540 400
Disability Living Allowance 357 114,726 24,946 46,203 3,735
Invalid Care Allowance 110 64,265 474 15,749 1,325
Severe Disablement Allowance 1,856 43,793 572 311,694 0
Industrial Injury Disablement Benefit 125 107,813 10,786 47,078 1,250
Reduced Earnings Allowance/Severe Hardship Allowance 43 58,940 8,956 23,002 0

1996–97 Family Resources Survey will be available after February 1999, as stated in the answer of 8 February 1999, Official Report, column 68.