National Insurance Scheme

HC Deb 30 March 1999 vol 328 c622W

Mr. Steinberg

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is the(a) number and (b) percentage of former contributors to the National Insurance Scheme who are not entitled to a state retirement pension. [78285]

Mr. Timms

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

It is estimated that there are about 400,000 people over State pension age and resident in Great Britain who do not receive a State Retirement Pension. This represents about 4 per cent. of pensioners resident in Great Britain. It includes those who have contributed to the National Insurance scheme but who have paid insufficient contributions to satisfy the conditions for receiving a State pension.

Notes:

1. Figures are for Great Britain, and are rounded to the nearest hundred thousand.

2. Percentages are rounded to the nearest whole number.

Sources:

Pensions Strategy Computer System (PSCS) which contains a 5 per cent. sample of all persons in receipt of a State Retirement Pension at September 1998.

Government Actuary's Department mid 1998 population forecast.