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Dept for Work and Pensions

Answer

Shona McIsaac: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how much his Department spent on (a) male and (b) female recipients of the (i) basic State Pension, (ii) SERPS and (iii) pension credit in 2003-04; and how many recipients there were of each. [223461] Malcolm Wicks: [pursuant to the reply, 24 March 2005, Official Report, c. 1037W]: The requested information is in the tables. Great Britain 2003-04 Expenditure (£ million, cash terms) _________________________________________________________________________________________________. (i) Basic state pension (ii) SERPS (iii) Pension credit (a) Male 16,801 4,727 1,010 (b) Female 22,978 1,951 1,468 _________________________________________________________________________________________________. Recipients (Thousand) _________________________________________________________________________________________________. (i) Basic state pension (ii) SERPS (iii) Pension credit (a) Male 4,241 3,597 761 (b) Female 7,011 3,572 1,405 _________________________________________________________________________________________________. Notes: 1. All expenditure figures have been rounded to the nearest million pounds. Expenditure recorded on the department's accounting systems has been apportioned between males and females using a 5 per cent. sample of administrative records. 2. All caseload figures have been rounded to the nearest thousand, and are based on a 5 per cent. sample of administrative records. 3. A basic State Pension is paid to those who fully or partially satisfy the contribution conditions for a category A or category B basic State Pension. 4. Category D retirement pensions are not included in the figures. 5. The SERPS (State Earnings-Related Pension Scheme) figure also includes amounts for state second pension and graduated retirement benefit. 6. Basic State Pension and SERPS expenditure includes pensions paid to people living overseas. 7. Pension credit expenditure includes both the guarantee credit and the savings credit. As pension credit was only introduced on 6 October 2003, the 2003-04 expenditure quoted relates only to half a year. 8. Figures are consistent with the pre-Budget report 2004 and with expenditure information published on the internet at http://www. dwp.gov.uk/asd/asd4/expenditure.asp (table 3). These tables will shortly be updated with Budget 2005 figures. Source: Departmental accounts data and 5 per cent. samples of departmental administrative records.

Secondary information

Type

Written question

Reference

432 c1037-8W; 223461

Session

2004-05

Subjects

Women Expenditure Pension credit Pensioners Men State retirement pensions State earnings related pension scheme

Contains statistics

Yes

Link

View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk