§ Mr. WillettsTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will estimate the number of pensioners entitled to receive the minimum income guarantee(a) in the current year and (b) in each of the next five years, assuming it is uprated by earnings each year. [99398]
§ Mr. RookerThe information is not available in the format requested. Such information as is available is in the table.
Estimates of the average number of pensioners entitled to receive the minimum income guarantee in each year, 1999–2000 to 2001–02 Thousand Income Support cases aged over 60 1999–2000 2000–01 2001–02 Pensioner cases (excluding RA/RCNH) 1,390 1,380 1,350 Pensioner cases plus partners (excluding RA/RCNH) 1,640 1,620 1,580 Residential Allowance cases 170 180 180 RC/NH cases 50 40 30 Notes:
1. The partners of pensioner cases (excluding Residential Allowance (RA) and Residential Care and Nursing Home (RCNH) cases) may be under 60, but the majority will be over 60.
2. The figures are consistent with expenditure estimates published in the November 1999 Pre Budget Report for the years 1998–99 to 2001–02.
3. There are no published estimates for later years.
60W
§ Mr. WillettsTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many pensioners are entitled to means-tested benefit in 1999; and how many will be so entitled after the implementation of the increases in the basic state pension and the minimum income guarantee for pensions announced in his up-rating statement, when broken down between the different benefits. [99448]
§ Mr. RookerAs at May 1998, the latest date for which information on all means-tested benefits is available, the estimated number of pensioners (aged 60 or over) who were entitled to means-tested benefit was 3.08 million. We estimate that a further 25,000 pensioners will become entitled to the minimum income guarantee from next April because of its link with earnings growth. 6,000 pensioners will become entitled to Housing Benefit and 9,000 will become entitled to Council Tax Benefit for the same reason.
Notes:
1. In this analysis, pensioners are defined as where the claimant or partner is aged 60 or over.
2. Means-tested benefits include Disability Working Allowance, Family Credit, Income Support, Jobseeker's Allowance (Income Based), Council Tax Benefit and Housing.
3. Numbers refer to benefit units, which may be a single person or a couple.
4. Figures do not include second adult rebates.
5. Numbers are rounded to the nearest ten thousand.
Sources:
Income Support Statistics Quarterly Enquiry (5 per cent. sample), May 1998 and May 1999.
Jobseeker's Allowance Statistics Quarterly Enquiry (5 per cent. sample), May 1998 and May 1999.
Family Credit 5 per cent. sample of awards.
Disability Working Allowance Statistics Quarterly Enquiry (100 per cent. sample), May 1998 and May 1999.
Housing Benefit Management Information System (1 per cent. sample), May 1998.