§ Mr. DrewTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what were the numbers of (a) single pensioners and (b) married couple pensioners in each year since 1980. [92486]
§ Mr. TimmsInformation is not available in the format requested. State Retirement Pensions are paid to individuals. Category A pension is payable on a person's own contribution record and Category B pension is paid to a married woman (or a widow) on her husband's insurance record. It is not possible to identify someone's marital status from the category of pension. Such information as is available is in the table.
Retirement pensioners by gender November 1980 to March1999 Millions Men and Women Men Women November 1980 9.1 3.2 5.9 June 1981 9.2 3.2 6.0 May 1982 9.4 3.2 6.1 March 1983 9.4 3.2 6.2 March 1984 9.5 3.2 6.3 March 1985 9.6 3.2 6.4 March 1986 9.8 3.3 6.5 September 1987 9.9 3.4 6.6 March 1988 10.0 3.4 6.6 March 1989 10.0 3.4 6.6 September 1990 10.2 3.5 6.7 March 1991 10.2 3.5 6.7 March 1992 10.2 3.5 6.7 March 1993 10.2 3.5 6.7 March 1994 10.3 3.6 6.7 March 1995 10.3 3.6 6.7 March 1996 10.4 3.7 6.8 March 1997 10.6 3.8 6.8 March 1998 10.8 3.9 6.9 March 1999 10.9 4.0 6.9 Notes:
1. Figures have been rounded to the nearest hundred thousand and shown in millions.
2. Figures include pensioners resident in GB and overseas but exclude Northern Ireland.
3. Figures may not total due to rounding.
Source:
Pensions Strategy Computer System (PSCS), 5 per cent. sample of "live" cases. Prior to March 1996 the figures are based on a 10 per cent. sample.