Written question asked by Andrew Bowden (Conservative), in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Tuesday, 4 March 1997. It was answered by Roger Evans (Conservative) on Tuesday, 4 March 1997 on behalf of the Department of Social Security.

Dept of Social Security

Question: What percentage of pensioners aged (a) 75 years and over, (b) 80 years and over and (c) 85 years and over received income support for the latest year for which figures are available. - Table given.

Answer: Sir Andrew Bowden: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what percentage of pensioners aged (a) 75 years and over, (b) 80 years and over and (c) 85 years and over received income support for the latest year for which figures are available. [17485] Mr. Roger Evans: The information is set out in the table: Proportion of pensioners in the population of Great Britain receiving income support: (February 1996) _________________________________________________________________________________________________. Age of pensioner Percentage of population 75 years and over 24.6 80 years and over 30.9 85 years and over 35.9 _________________________________________________________________________________________________. Notes: 1. Sample size 5 per cent. 2. Percentages are based on the age of the income support claimant as a proportion of all pensioners in the specified age group. 3. There will be an overlap in the numbers of recipients accounted for in each banding as a recipient may appear in more than one group ie. an 80 year old recipient will be represented in both the 75 years and over and the 80 years and over groups. Source: 1. Income Support Statistics Quarterly Enquiry February 1996. 2. Office for National Statistics mid-term estimates of the population 1995.

Secondary information