HC Deb 18 December 2000 vol 360 cc78-9W
Mr. Corbyn

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will list the average income levels for pensioner households for each English region for(a) the latest date for which figures are available and (b) each of the last four years. [142302]

Mr. Rooker

[holding answer 14 December 2000]: The information is given in the tables. It should be noted that, due to the small sample sizes on which these estimates are based, year-on-year comparisons and comparisons between regions should be treated with extreme caution.

Median net income of pensioners, by Government Office Region in England—Single pensioners
Incomes in £ per week at July 1998 prices
Government office region 1995–96 1996–97 1997–98 1998–99
North East 106 113 113 114
North West and Merseyside 110 114 113 116
Yorkshire and Humber 109 110 108 111
East Midlands 108 111 113 116
West Midlands 111 110 112 116
Eastern 112 113 119 118
London 123 127 130 129
South East 117 121 126 126
South West 111 121 117 116

Median net income of pensioners, by Government Office Region in England—Pension couples
Incomes in £ per week at July 1998 prices
Government office region 1995–96 1996–97 1997–98 1998–99
North East 175 195 198 192
North West and Merseyside 191 207 207 211
Yorkshire and Humber 193 190 207 200
East Midlands 183 195 197 193
West Midlands 187 194 211 201
Eastern 203 217 215 216
London 206 216 217 245
South East 212 237 230 238
South West 201 223 209 228

Notes:

1. Estimates are based on small sample sizes and are subject to large margins of error. Therefore estimates should be treated with extreme caution. In particular, estimates will only give a very broad indication (if any) of trends over time. Likewise, comparisons between regions in any given year should also be treated with caution.

2. Estimates relate to the median net income of pensioner units within each region, in £ per week, at July 1998 prices.

3. Pensioner units are defined as single people over State Pension age (65 and over for men, 60 and over for women) and couples (married or cohabiting) where the man is over State Pension age.

Source:

Family Resources Surveys