§ Mr. MitchellTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is the extra total cost of the minimum income guarantee for pensioners over and above the cost of income support for which pensioners were previously eligible. [124344]
§ Mr. BayleyDuring the lifetime of this Parliament the extra total cost of the minimum income guarantee and 223W associated benefits for pensioners over and above the cost of Income Support for which pensioners were previously eligible is estimated to be £2.2 billion in real terms.
§ Mr. FlynnTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what methods he uses to measure the annual increase in earnings for the purpose of uprating the minimum income guarantee. [124393]
§ Mr. BayleyIn line with the Government's commitment to provide security in retirement for the poorest pensioners, the minimum income guarantee has been increased by 4.6 per cent., in line with the increase in average earnings. This measure of earnings growth reflects the 12-month headline rate and is based on a three-month average up to July 1999, published in The Stationery Office's "Monthly Digest of Statistics".
§ Mr. FlynnTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security in what circumstances a pensioner with income above the minimum income guarantee level who claims all the benefits to which they are entitled can be worse off than if they were receiving the minimum income guarantee. [124391]
§ Mr. BayleyWe are not aware of a situation where an individual with weekly income above the minimum income guarantee (MIG) level would be worse off, in terms of weekly cash income, after claiming all the benefits to which they are entitled.
Receipt of the MIG does provide a pensioner with access to certain additional services, such as free school meals and social fund budgeting loans, that are not available to those not entitled.