HC Deb 25 May 2004 vol 421 cc1585-6W
Paul Holmes

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many and what proportion of people between the age of 50 and state pension age live in households without an occupational pension income; what proportion of these are in each decile of overall income distribution; and if he will make a statement. [172538]

Malcolm Wicks

There were 6.8 million people between the age of 50 and state pension age who lived in households without an occupational pension income in the financial year 2002–03. This equated to 73 per cent. of all individuals in this age group.

The proportion of this group located in each decile of the equivalised income distribution, both before and after housing costs have been taken into account, is presented in the table.

Income before

housing costs

 Income after

housing costs
Decile 1 11 11
Decile 2 7 8
Decile 3 8 7
Decile 4 8 9
Decile 5 9 8
Decile 6 10 10
Decile 7 11 10
Decile 8 11 12
Decile 9 12 12
Decile 10 13 14
Notes:
1. Figures are for the financial year 2002–03, the latest date for which data are available.
2. Estimates are for Great Britain.
3. Estimates relate to the status of individuals 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 sampling error, and to remaining variability in non-response which is not corrected by the grossing regime.
5. 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).
6. The Households Below Average Income series presents analysis of income of two bases: Before Housing Costs (BHC) and After Housing Costs (AHC). This is principally to take into account variations in housing costs that themselves do not correspond to comparable variations in the quality of housing.
7. Occupational incomes include income from the following: pension from a previous employer, widow's employee pension and trade union or friendly society pension.
Source:
Family Resources Survey (FRS).