§ Mr. Edward DaveyTo ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the average change in(a) the state pension and (b) pensioner income was in each financial year since 1991–92. [121738]
§ Malcolm WicksThe information is not available on the format requested. Such information as is available is in the table.
Financial Year Basic state pension cash terms (£) Basic state pension 2003–04 Price terms (£) Annual real Increase of basic state pension(%) Pensioner incomes(£) 1991–92 52.00 70.79 4.2 n/a 1992–93 54.15 70.69 -0.1 n/a 1993–94 56.10 72.30 2.3 n/a 1994–95 57.60 72.38 0.1 195 1995–96 58.85 71.57 -1.1 194 1996–97 61.15 72.61 1.5 205 1997–98 62.45 72.40 -0.3 207 1998–99 64.70 72.10 -0.4 214 1999–2000 66.75 73.21 1.5 222 2000–01 67.50 71.90 -1.8 228 2001–02 72.50 75.89 5.5 240 2002–03 75.50 77.86 2.6 not yet available 2003–04 77.45 77.45 -0.5 not yet available Note:
- 1. The basic state pension is uprated annually each April based on the increase in the retail price index from September to September. The real value of the basic state pension has been calculated using the increase in the retail price index from April to April. This inevitably means that the percentage change shows small increases and reductions that would not otherwise appear if the same RPI period is used for both figures. These small variations do not affect pensioner living standards as any differences in inflation are automatically adjusted in the following year's uprating.
- 2. Information about pensioner incomes is taken from the pensioner income series 2001–02, table 1(ii), page 32. This series is designed to provide a broad overall picture of patterns and trends in pensioners' income, and is not appropriate for measuring year- on-year changes because such comparisons are not statistically reliable
- 3. Pensioner incomes prior to 1994 are not available on a consistent basis
- 4. Pensioner incomes shown are mean net income of single pensioners and pensioner couples before housing costs in April 2003–04 price terms
§ Mr. KeyTo ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will list, for each constituency in Wiltshire(a) the numbers of pensioners aged 80 and over in receipt of state pensions and (b) the total number in receipt of state pensions; and what percentage of the total number pensioners aged 80 and over represent. [120983]
§ Malcolm WicksThe information is not available in the format requested. Such information as is available is shown in the table:
86W
State Pension recipients aged 80 and over as at 30 September 2002 Thousands Total number of State Pension recipients aged 80 and over Total number of State Pension recipients Percentage of those over 80 in receipt of state Pension North Wiltshire 4.2 17.5 24.0 Salisbury 5.6 20.5 27.3 Notes:
- 1Numbers are rounded lo the nearest hundred and are expressed in thousands.
- 2Numbers are based on 5 per cent sample, and are therefore subject to a degree of sampling variation.
- 3Parliamentary Constituencies are allocated using the relevant Office of National Statistics postcode directory.
Source:
Pensions Strategy Computer System as at 30 September 2002.
§ Mr. WebbTo ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if it is his policy to link the basic state pension to the retail prices index for the remainder of this Parliament. [121124]
§ Malcolm WicksWe have already announced that we will increase the basic state pension by 2.5 per cent or the Retail Prices Index (RPI), whichever is higher, for the remainder of this Parliament. Over the last three years the basic state pension has been increased by more than the RPI.
§ Mr. WebbTo ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions pursuant to pages 25–6 of Working and Saving for Retirement: Action on Occupational Pensions, if it is his intention to propose legislation to require the selection of Member Nominated Trustees to be fair and open. [121125]
§ Malcolm WicksNo. As page 25 of that document states, we have decided to take forward the more radical of the two options on simplifying Member Nominated Trustee (MNT) legislation set out in the Technical Paper which accompanied the Green Paper 'Simplicity, Security and Choice: Working and Saving for Retirement' (Cm 5677). This is the option under which minimal legislation will provide for the outcome—one third MNTs in each scheme—but without prescribing how schemes must arrive at that outcome.
§ Mr. DismoreTo ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many claimants in receipt of UK basic state pension(a) now, (b) five and (c) 10 years ago were resident (i) in EU countries, (ii) in Commonwealth countries, (iii) in the USA and (iv) elsewhere in the world outside the UK; what assessment he has made of the trend of pensioners settling overseas and its implications for UK state pensi on policy; and if he will make a statement. [121573]
§ Malcolm WicksThe number of claimants in receipt of UK basic State Pension resident in the requested countries abroad and the specified intervals is shown in the table.
Current Five years ago Ten years ago ED countries 262,599 202,697 94,950 Commonwealth countries 521,924 465,391 217,995 USA 120,691 102,258 46,817 Rest of the world 20,147 20,696 10,790 Sources:
The current and five years ago statistics is taken from the Pension Strategy Computer System (PSCS) Overseas Population statistics. The figures from 10 years ago is taken from the Method of Payment statistics produced by Existing Pension System (EPS) People are free to choose where they want to live and they do so for a variety of reasons. If they have acquired entitlement to a UK State Pension, it will be paid, once claimed, regardless of where they live during their retirement.
However, individuals who are considering moving abroad can seek information and advice on the implications of doing so on entitlement to benefits in a number of DWP publications.
87WLeaflet NP46 'A guide to State Pensions' (which is widely available in Social Security Offices and Post Offices) advises pensioners of the effect of going abroad on their State Pension.
Besides giving general information, it also advises people who are thinking of moving abroad to get leaflet GL29 'Going abroad and social security benefits' from their Social Security Office. In addition, the Department's International Pensions Centre provides oral and written advice to people who intend to move abroad.
Information is also available on the DWP websitewww.dwp.gov.uk
§ Mr. Paul MarsdenTo ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (1) what estimate he has made of the number of pensioners in(a) Shrewsbury and Atcham and (b) Shropshire who were eligible for the minimum income guarantee but did not claim it in the last year for which figures are available; [121725]
(2) how many pensioners did not claim their full level of entitlements in (a) Shrewsbury and Atcham and (b) Shropshire in each year since 1997. [121739]
§ Malcolm WicksEstimates of the number of pensioners eligible for, but not claiming the Minimum Income Guarantee, Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit are not available below national level. These figures are included in the publication "Income-Related Benefits—Estimates of Take Up in 2000/2001, copies of which are available in the library.
There is no reliable current estimate of the level of take-up of Disability Living Allowance (DLA) or Attendance Allowance (AA) and an accurate estimate cannot be made because entitlement to the benefits is not based on diagnosis but on the care and mobility needs arising from disability which can vary widely between individuals.
Take up estimates for Carers Allowance could only be produced at disproportionate cost.
Information about the number of people who may be entitled to a State Pension but have not claimed it is not available.