Written question asked by Andrew Welsh (Scottish National Party) on Wednesday, 14 June 2000, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Wednesday, 21 June 2000. It was answered by Hugh Bayley (Labour) on Wednesday, 21 June 2000 on behalf of the Department of Social Security.

Dept of Social Security

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, what was the average income in (a) cash, (b) real terms and (c) as a percentage of average earnings in (i) 1979, (ii) 1984, (iii) 1989, (iv) 1994 and (v) each year from 1994 to 2000 for (A) the UK and (B) Scotland of (1) pensioners, (2) pensioners aged over 75 years, (3) students, (4) single parents, (5) the bottom decile, (6) the top decile and (7) the disabled; and if he will make a statement. - Includes fact that the information requested could be obtained only at disproportionate cost and ref to Households Below Average Income, copy in Library.

Answer: Mr. Welsh: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what was the average income in (a) cash, (b) real terms and (c) as a percentage of average earnings in (i) 1979, (ii) 1984, (iii) 1989, (iv) 1994 and (v) each year from 1994 to 2000 for (A) the UK and (B) Scotland of (1) pensioners, (2) pensioners aged over 75 years, (3) students, (4) single parents, (5) the bottom decile, (6) the top decile and (7) the disabled; and if he will make a statement. [126770] Mr. Bayley: The information requested could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. Information on average (mean and median) income of pensioner couples, single pensioners and single parents, and median incomes of the top and bottom deciles are published in the annual publication Households Below Average Income. The latest published edition, which relates to 1997-98, also contained analyses showing the position in the income distribution of pensioners by age, and students. Copies of this volume are in the Library.

Secondary information