§ Mr. O'HaraTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what percentage of(a) single pensioners, (b) pensioner couples and (c) all pensioner households were dependent on state benefits for at least 75 per cent. of their income in the latest year for which figures are available. [145115]
§ Mr. RookerThe information is in the table.
Proportion of pensioners dependent on state benefits for at least 75 per cent. of their income, 1998–99 Percentage Single pensioners 60 Pensioner couples 35 All pensioners 50 Notes:
1.Income is defined as gross (pre-tax) income.
2.Pensioners are defined as single people over State Pension age and couples (married or co-habiting) where the man is over State Pension age.
Source:
Family Resources Survey (FRS) 1998–99
§ Mr. O'HaraTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will list the(a) mean and (b) median income of (i) single men aged 65 to 74 years, (ii) single men aged 75 years and over, (iii) single women aged 65 to 74 years, (iv) single women aged 75 years and over, (v) pensioner couples aged 65 to 74 years and (vi) pensioner couples aged 75 years and over, for the latest year for which figures are available. [145117]
§ Mr. RookerThe information is in the table.
81W
Average net income of pensioners, 1998–99 £ Mean Median Single men Aged 65 to 74 years 167 130 Aged 75 years and over 145 120 Single women Aged 65 to 74 years 144 116 Aged 75 years and over 129 115
Average net income of pensioners, 1998–99 £ Mean Median Pensioner couples Aged 65 to 74 years 288 227 Aged 75 years and over 238 188 Notes:
1. Income is defined as net income before housing costs.
2. The amounts of income are in £s per week at July 1998 prices and are rounded to the nearest £1.
3. Pensioner couples are defined as married or co-habiting couples.
4. Pensioner couples are allocated to age categories based on the age of the man.
Source:
Family Resources Survey (FRS) 1998–99.
§ Mr. O'HaraTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what the value was of the basic state pension for(a) single pensioners and (b) pensioner couples, for each year between November 1979 and April 2001; and what it would have been had it been uprated each year in line with the higher of average earnings or prices. [145116]
§ Mr. RookerThe figures are in the tables.
Our priorities are first, to improve the incomes of the poorest pensioners and second to help those with modest pensions or savings.
As a result of our measures, this year around 2 million of the poorest pensioner households will be at least £15 a week, or £800 a year, better off in real terms and pensioner households will on average be £580 a year (£11 a week) better off. This year we will be spending £4.5 billion extra in real terms on alleviating pensioner poverty rising to over £5 billion a year from 2002–03— £3 billion more a year than if basic state pension had been linked to earnings since April 1998. This means that 49 out of every 50 pensioner households will experience more improvement as a result of our measures since 1998 than with an earnings-linked basic pension.
82W
Single pensioners Uprating date Basic state pension Amount if up-rated by higher of RPI/earnings November 1979 23.30 23.30 November 1980 27.15 27.60 November 1981 29.60 30.90 November 1982 32.85 33.50 November 1983 34.05 36.40 November 1984 35.80 38.25 November 1985 38.30 41.60 July 1986 38.70 43.45 April 1987 39.50 45.90 April 1988 41.15 49.50 April 1989 43.60 53.85 April 1990 46.90 59.05 April 1991 52.00 65.50 April 1992 54.15 70.50 April 1993 56.10 73.90 April 1994 57.60 76.25 April 1995 58.85 78.85 April 1996 61.15 81.95 April 1997 62.45 85.40 April 1998 64.70 88.90 April 1999 66.75 93.25 April 2000 67.50 97.45 April 2001 72.50 101.15
Pensioner couples Uprating date Basic state pension Amount if up-rated by higher of RPI/earnings November 1979 37.30 37.30 November 1980 43.45 44.20 November 1981 47.35 49.50 November 1982 52.55 53.65 November 1983 54.50 58.30 November 1984 57.30 61.25 November 1985 61.30 66.60 July 1986 61.95 69.60 April 1987 63.25 73.50 April 1988 65.90 79.25 April 1989 69.80 86.20 April 1990 75.10 94.55 April 1991 83.25 104.85 April 1992 86.70 112.85 April 1993 89.80 118.30 April 1994 92.10 121.95 April 1995 94.10 126.10 April 1996 97.75 131.05 April 1997 99.80 136.55 April 1998 103.40 142.15 April 1999 106.70 149.10 April 2000 107.90 155.80 April 2001 115.90 161.70 Notes:
1. Rates are taken from November 1979 as the earnings link was ended in November 1980.
2. The Retail Prices Index (all items) has been used as published by the Office for National Statistics.
3. Average Earnings Index Whole Economy (Non Seasonally Adjusted) as published by the Office for National Statistics.
4. From April 1994 the basic rate of retirement pension has been increased by 50p on a single person and an additional 20p on a pensioner couple to reflect VAT on fuel.
5. Figures have been rounded to the nearest 5 pence at each uprating.
§ Mr. O'HaraTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many retirement pensioners in Great Britain are receiving(a) housing benefit and (b) council tax benefit. [145111]
§ Mr. RookerThe number of retirement pensioners in Great Britain who are in receipt of Housing Benefit is 1,527,000. The number of retirement pensioners in Great Britain who are in receipt of Council Tax Benefit is 2,210,000.
Source:
Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit Management Information System, Annual 1 per cent. sample, taken in May 1999.
Notes:
1. The data refers to benefit units, which may be a single person or a couple.
2. The figures have been rounded to the nearest thousand.
3. Retirement Pensioners are defined as a benefit unit where either the claimant and/or the partner are in receipt of the State Retirement Pension.
4. There will be an overlap between Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit as a large percentage of Housing Benefit recipients also receive Council Tax Benefit.