HC Deb 11 March 2002 vol 381 cc725-6W
Mr. Boswell

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many(a) male and (b) female pensioners who have retired in each of the past five years have deferred their state basic pension entitlements for sufficient time to claim a pension increment of (i) less than £5 per week, (ii) £5 to £10 a week and (iii) exceeding £10 a week at present rates of payment; and how many such pensioners retired without such an increment. [31304]

Mr. McCartney

[holding answer 31 January 2002]The information is not available in the format requested. The available information is in the table:

Number of pensioners in receipt of retirement pension on the dates shown, by amount of deferred retirement increment received and gender—Great Britain
Thousands
Total without incs Less than £5 Between £5 and £10 More than £10 Total without incs
March 1996
All 1,155.2 653.3 270.4 231.5 8,551.2
Male 290.6 135.4 60.5 94.8 3,123.5
Female 864.6 517.9 209.9 136.8 5,427.8
March 1997
All 1,100.8 607.4 260.7 232.7 8,738.0
Male 266.6 120.6 55.1 90.9 3,234.0
Female 834.2 486.8 205.6 141.8 5,504.0
March 1998
All 1,056.0 576.5 250.5 229.1 8,914.5
Male 247.3 110.2 50.8 86.3 3,335.9
Female 808.7 466.3 199.7 142.7 5,578.8
September 1999
All 980.4 517.6 229.5 233.2 9,150.8
Male 218.6 92.3 44.4 81.9 3,483.2
Female 761.8 425.3 185.1 151.3 5,667.6
March 2000
All 965.3 510.1 227.3 227.9 9,185.5
Male 210.5 88.8 42.8 78.9 3,511.9
Female 754.8 421.3 184.5 149.0 5,673.6
March 2001
All 934.3 490.7 222.7 220.9 9,266.5
Male 196.5 82.3 40.1 74.1 3,561.2
Female 737.8 408.3 182.6 146.8 5,705.2

Notes:

1. The figures are rounded to the nearest hundred.

2. Totals may not sum due to rounding.

3. Increments include basic retirement pension increments and additional pension increments payable.

4. Analysis has shown that increments data for March 1999 are not reliable therefore September has been used for that year.

5. Excludes overseas cases.

Source:

Five per cent. sample from the Pension Strategy Computer System at March in each year, 1996, 1997, 1998, 2000 and 2001. Data for 1999 are at September of that year.