§ Mr. BoswellTo ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the ratio of income support and its precursor to basic retirement pension for a single person was in each of the last 30 calendar years. [53942]
§ Mr. McCartneyThe benefit system has undergone radical changes in the last 30 years. For this reason, it is not possible to compare like with like. From 1972 until 1988, supplementary benefit was in payment. The assessment of entitlement for supplementary benefit was complex, and the introduction of income support addressed and simplified this assessment. Income support continues to be paid through the minimum income guarantee. There were considerable differences between the benefits, for example, on some occasions, supplementary benefit was uprated82W twice a year. The figures quoted are based on benefit years (April to March) rather than calendar years—rates may be different to published rates as they represent an average over the benefit year, eg in 2002 MIG was uprated on 9 April therefore we have assumed there were eight days when MIG was still at the old rate.
For the purposes of this question, all figures quoted are in nominal terms for the appropriate year, eg 1972 rates are quoted in 1972 price terms and reflect the basic entitlement of a single pensioner aged 65 to 75.
The information requested is in the table.
Benefit rates by year from 1 April to 31 March Supplementary benefit/MIG (£) Basic state pension (BSP)(£) Ratio MIG/BSP 1972 6.72 6.37 1.05 1973 7.65 7.25 1.06 1974 9.71 9.31 1.04 1975 12.61 12.21 1.03 1976 14.45 14.05 1.03 1977 16.53 16.13 1.02 1978 18.26 16.16 1.02 1979 21.36 20.96 1.02 1980 24.91 24.65 1.01 1981 28.22 28.02 1.00 1982 33.20 30.76 1.00 1983 33.20 33.28 1.00 1984 34.65 34.65 1.00 1985 36.31 36.65 0.09 1986 37.77 38.57 0.98 1987 38.64 39.49 0.98 1988 43.90 41.10 1.07 1989 46.05 43.54 1.06 1990 48.45 46.83 1.03 1991 53.31 51.90 1.03 1992 57.10 54.12 1.06 1993 61.17 56.04 1.09 1994 63.88 57.56 1.11 1995 65.07 58.82 1.11 1996 67.01 61.11 1.10 1997 68.77 62.43 1.10 1998 70.43 64.67 1.09 1999 74.86 66.69 1.12 2000 78.36 67.48 1.16 2001 91.85 72.39 1.27 2002 98.15 75.50 1.30