§ Mr. George HowarthTo ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what his estimate is of the proportion of the value of means-tested benefits unclaimed by pensioners. [155468]
§ Malcolm WicksPrecise information requested is not available. The DWP report, "Income Related Benefits Estimates of Take-Up", contains estimates of the additional amount of income support/minimum income guarantee, housing benefit and council tax benefit payable, if every pensioner took up their entitlement. For financial year 2000–01, the latest year for which information is available, it is estimated between £1.03 billion and £1.8 billion of these benefits were left unclaimed by the eligible GB pensioner population in private households. This compares with £7.70 billion claimed by this population; and represents between 81 per cent. and 88 per cent. of the total of amounts claimed and amounts unclaimed.
The next edition of the report, covering 2001–02 will be published on 26 February; copies will be held in the Library.
Note:Estimates of the amount of income-related benefits unclaimed are presented as ranges in which the true value is judged to lie. The ranges take account of various imperfections in the underlying data sources.