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Dept for Work and Pensions

Answer

Paul Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what comparison has been made in take up rates for pension credit between rural and urban areas; and what causes he ascribes to the lower rate of increase in claims for pension credit in inner city areas in comparison to other areas. [166884] Malcolm Wicks: It is not possible to provide detailed comparisons of levels of pension credit take-up between rural and urban areas, since estimates of numbers of households eligible for pension credit are not available at any level below that of Government office region. However, the information in the table shows the level of increase in numbers of households receiving pension credit as at 31 March 2004 over numbers receiving the minimum income guarantee (MIG) as at 3 October 2003, for local authorities classified as either `rural' or `not rural'. This suggests that overall rates of increase in `not rural' areas are in general lower than in their rural counterparts. Overall, there has been an increase of 31 per cent. in the number of households receiving pension credit over those receiving MIG and an increase of 37 per cent. in the area including Newport, West. More detailed analysis of pension credit take-up levels is being carried out. Comparison of rate of increase between rural and not rural MIG and pension credit household levels as at 31 March 2004 _________________________________________________________________________________________________. Total Number local MIG households Pension credit Household increase Percentage increase authorities October households March National Not rural 240 1,352,355 1,769,397 417,042 31 Rural 168 443,485 632,453 188,968 43 Total 408 1,795,840 2,401, 850 606,010 34 East of England Not rural 26 77,490 104,996 27,506 35 Rural 22 59,165 85,118 25,953 44 Total 48 136,655 190,114 53,459 39 East Midlands Not rural 20 79,345 106,000 26,655 34 Rural 20 43,905 62,859 18,954 43 Total 40 123,250 168,859 45,609 37 London Not rural 33 214,170 255,698 41,528 19 Rural 0 0 0 0 0 North East Not rural 17 97,175 131,812 34,637 36 Rural 6 8,895 12,761 3,866 43 Total 23 106,070 144,573 38,503 36 North West Not rural 30 214,545 278,010 63,465 30 Rural 13 33,190 46,895 13,705 41 Total 43 247,735 324,905 77,170 31 Scotland Not rural 18 139,025 179,752 40,727 29 Rural 14 50,030 68,852 18,822 38 Total 32 189,055 248,604 59,549 31 South East Not rural 36 91,560 127,830 36,270 40 Rural 31 80,685 117,001 36,316 45 Total 67 172,245 244,831 72,586 42 South West Not rural 14 66,165 93,827 27,662 42 Rural 31 74,255 109,087 34,832 47 Total 45 140,420 202,914 62,494 45 Wales Not rural 13 70,470 94,385 23,915 34 Rural 9 34,865 47,141 12,276 35 Total 22 105,335 141,526 36,191 34 West Midlands Not rural 21 159,345 207,150 47,805 30 Rural 14 29,920 42,182 12,262 41 Total 34 189,265 249,331 60,066 32 Yorks and Humber Not rural 12 143,065 189,938 46,873 33 Rural 9 28,575 40,556 11,981 42 Total 21 171,640 230,494 58,854 34 _________________________________________________________________________________________________.

Secondary information

Type

Written question

Reference

420 c1374-6W; 166884

Session

2003-04

Subjects

Income support Households Pension credit Pensioners Recipients Rural areas Urban areas Take-up

Contains statistics

Yes

Link

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