HC Deb 25 May 2004 vol 421 cc1579-80W
Colin Burgon

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many pensioners in the Elmet constituency(a) have claimed the minimum income guarantee and (b) are claiming pension credit. [174873]

Malcolm Wicks

The information available is given in the following table. The Minimum Income Guarantee (MIG) was replaced by Pension Credit on 6 October

Pension credit awards of less than £1, London Government Office Region (GOR), 30 April 2004
Less than

10p

10p

to 19p

20p

to 29p

30p

to 39p

40p

to 49p

50p

to 59p

60p

to 69p

70p

to 79p

80p

to 89p

90p

to 99p

Total
London GOR 60 85 85 75 100 115 90 105 120 125 960
Inner London-West 5 15 5 5 15 15 10 10 10 15 105
Inner London-East 10 15 20 15 30 30 25 30 25 30 230
Outer London-East and North East 15 20 35 25 30 20 20 25 40 30 260
Outer London-South 15 20 15 15 10 25 20 20 25 25 190
Outer London-West and North West 15 15 15 15 20 25 20 25 20 25 195
Notes:
1. Figures are rounded to the nearest five.
2. Columns might not sum correctly due to rounding.

2003. Those who were receiving MIG immediately prior to that date were transferred automatically to Pension Credit.

Minimum Income Guarantee and Pension Credit recipients, Elmet, October 2003 and April 2004
Number
Minimum Income Guarantee (3 October 2003)
Households 2,330
Individuals 2,645
Pension Credit (30 April 2004)
Households 3,255
Individuals 3,865
Notes:
1. Figures are rounded to the nearest five.
2. Figures for individuals include a small number of partners under age 60

Sarah Teather

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people in(a) London and (b) Brent have claimed pension credit since it was introduced; and how many people in (i) London and (ii) Brent are entitled to claim pension credit. [172815]

Malcolm Wicks

At 30 April 2004 there were(a) 260,510 households (309,275 individuals) in London and (b) 10,565 households (12,775 individuals) in Brent receiving Pension Credit. Information on the number of people who are eligible for Pension Credit is not available in respect of individual local authority areas. However, we estimate that approximately 450,000 pensioner households in the London region are eligible for Pension Credit. This estimate is based on data from the Family Resources Survey for 2001–02. A revised estimate, based on data from the Family Resources Survey for 2002–03, will be available later this month.

Notes:

1. Figures are rounded to the nearest five.

2. Individual recipients include a small number of partners under age 60.

Simon Hughes

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many recipients of pension credit are receiving(a) less than 10p per week, (b) 10p to 19p per week, (c) 20p to 29p per week, (d) 30p to 39p per week, (e) 40p to 49p per week, (f) 50p to 59p per week, (g) 60p to 69p per week, (h) 70p to 79p per week, (i) 80p to 89p per week and (j) 90p to 99p per week in each Greater London borough. [173334]

Malcolm Wicks

The figures in question for individual London boroughs are too small to be reliable. The information for inner and outer London areas is in the table. An award of pension credit of less than 10p per week is not payable unless the person is receiving another benefit payable with pension credit.