HC Deb 10 May 2004 vol 421 cc133-5W
Mr. O'Hara

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what percentage of families containing one or more children in receipt of disability living allowance have incomes below 60 per cent. of median contemporary incomes(a) before and (b) after housing costs, excluding any disability living allowance received. [170643]

Maria Eagle

30 per cent. of families with children, in receipt of disability living allowance have incomes below 60 per cent. of median contemporary income before housing costs. 42 per cent. of families with children, in receipt of disability living allowance have incomes below 60 per cent. of median contemporary income after housing costs.

Notes:

  1. Figures are for 2002–03, the latest date for which data are available.
  2. Estimates are for Great Britain.
  3. Estimates relate to the household's status at the time they were interviewed for the FRS.
  4. The estimates are based on sample counts, which have been adjusted for non-response using multipurpose grossing factors that control for tenure, council tax band and a number of other variables. Estimates are subject to both sampling error, and to remaining variability in non-response which is not corrected by the grossing regime.
  5. 134W
  6. The income measure used is weekly net (disposable) equivalised household income (that is to say income that is adjusted to reflect the composition of the household).
  7. The question has been interpreted and presented as those families in receipt of disability living allowance, who have children. The alternative interpretation, which would look at families where a child is in receipt of disability living allowance, cannot be presented due to insufficient sample sizes of this group.
  8. For the purpose of calculating whether a family is below 60 per cent. of median income, any DLA received has been excluded from the household income. The median income of the population is the same as that used in HBAI, and therefore has not been recalculated following deduction of disability living allowance.

Source:

Family Resources Survey (FRS).

Mr. O'Hara

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what percentage of(a) single people under pension age, (b) couples under pension age and (c) adults under pension age have incomes below 60 per cent. of median contemporary incomes (i) before and (ii) after housing costs, excluding any disability living allowance received. [170644]

Mr. Pond

The information requested is presented in the table:

Percentage with incomes below 60 per cent. of median contemporary income
(i) Before housing costs
(a) Single people under pension age 20
(b) Couples under pension age 13
(c) Adults under pension age 16
(ii) After housing costs
(a) Single people under pension age 30
(b) Couples under pension age 16
(c) Adults under pension age 21
Notes:
1. Figures are for 2002–03, the latest date for which data are available.
2. Estimates are for Great Britain.
3. Estimates relate to the household's status at the time they were interviewed for the FRS.
4. Estimates for 'couples under pension age' include all individuals under SPA who cohabit with a partner.
5. The estimates are based on sample counts, which have been adjusted for non-response using multipurpose grossing factors that control for tenure, council tax band and a number of other variables. Estimates are subject to both sampling error, and to remaining variability in non-response which is not corrected by the grossing regime.
6. The income measure used is weekly net (disposable) equivalised household income (that is to say income that is adjusted to reflect the composition of the household).
Source:
Family Resources Survey (FRS).

Mr. O'Hara

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what percentage of(a) single female pensioners, (b) single male pensioners, (c) pensioner couples and (d) all pensioners have incomes below 60 per cent. of median contemporary incomes (i) before and (ii) after housing costs excluding attendance allowance or disability living allowance received. [170645]

Mr. Pond

The requested information is presented in the table.

Percentage with incomes below 60 per cent. of median contemporary income
(i) Before housing costs
(a) Single female pensioners 26
(b) Single male pensioners 21
(c) Pensioner couples 28
(d) All pensioners 27
(ii) After housing costs
(a) Single female pensioners 25
(b) Single male pensioners 21
(c) Pensioner couples 30
(d) All pensioners 28
Notes:
1. Figures are for 2002–03, the latest date for which data are available.
2. Estimates are for Great Britain.
3. Estimates relate to the household's status at the time they were interviewed for the FRS.
4. Estimates for 'pensioner couples' includes all individuals over SPA who cohabit with a partner. 'Single pensioners' are defined as those over SPA.
5. The estimates are based on sample counts, which have been adjusted for non-response using multipurpose grossing factors that control for tenure, council tax band and a number of other variables. Estimates are subject to both sampling error, and to remaining variability in non-response which is not corrected by the grossing regime.
6. The income measure used is weekly net (disposable) equivalised household income (that is to say income that is adjusted to reflect the composition of the household).
Source:
Family Resources Survey (FRS).

Mr. Caton

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will extend eligibility for the higher rate of the mobility component of the disability living allowance to people who become disabled after the age of 65 years to enable them to benefit from the Motability Scheme. [170990]

Maria Eagle

No. It is normal for pensions and benefits schemes to contain different provisions for people at different stages of their lives, and the higher rate mobility component of disability living allowance is focussed on providing extra help to people who are severely disabled early, or relatively early, in life.

Based on the need for personal care, attendance allowance provides help with the disability-related extra costs of people who experience the onset of disability after age 65. This help is part of the wide range of support that the Government make available to older people so that they can have a decent and secure income in retirement and share fairly in the rising prosperity of the country.