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Mr. Field
asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will list the value of the earnings rule for retirement pensioners as a percentage of (a) gross and
| EARNINGS LIMIT FOR RETIREMENT PENSIONERS AS A PERCENTAGE OF GROSS AND NET AVERAGE EARNINGS | |||||||
| Date | Retirement pension earnings limit | Gross average weekly earnings | Net average weekly earnings | Retirement pension earnings limit as percentage of gross earnings | Retirement pension earnings limit as percentage of net earnings | ||
| £ | £ | £ | |||||
| October 1948 | … | … | 1·00 | 6·90 | 5·81 | 14·5 | 17·2 |
| October 1949 | … | … | 1·00 | 7·13 | 5·99 | 14·0 | 16·7 |
| October 1950 | … | … | 1·00 | 7·52 | 6·45 | 13·3 | 15·5 |
| October 1951 | … | … | 2·00 | 8·30 | 6·96 | 24·1 | 28·7 |
| October 1952 | … | … | 2·00 | 8·93 | 7·64 | 22·4 | 26·2 |
| October 1953 | … | … | 2·00 | 9·46 | 8·17 | 21·1 | 24·5 |
| October 1954 | … | … | 2·00 | 10·22 | 8·73 | 19·6 | 22·9 |
| October 1955 | … | … | 2·00 | 11·15 | 9·39 | 17·9 | 21·3 |
| October 1956 | … | … | 2·50 | 11·90 | 9·95 | 21·0 | 25·1 |
| October 1957 | … | … | 2·50 | 12·58 | 10·43 | 19·9 | 24·0 |
| October 1958 | … | … | 2·50 | 12·83 | 10·47 | 19·5 | 23·9 |
| October 1959 | … | … | 3·00 | 13·56 | 11·15 | 22·1 | 26·9 |
| October 1960 | … | … | 3·50 | 14·53 | 11·83 | 24·1 | 29·6 |
| October 1961 | … | … | 3·50 | 15·34 | 12·18 | 22·8 | 28·7 |
| October 1962 | … | … | 3·50 | 15·86 | 12·54 | 22·1 | 27·9 |
| May 1963 | … | … | 4·25 | 16·33 | 13·12 | 25·7 | 32·4 |
| March 1964 | … | … | 5·00 | 17·38 | 13·55 | 28·8 | 36·9 |
| October 1965 | … | … | 5·00 | 19·59 | 14·82 | 25·5 | 33·7 |
| October 1966 | … | … | 5·00 | 20·30 | 15·25 | 24·6 | 32·8 |
| June 1967 | … | … | 6·50 | 20·77 | 15·57 | 31·3 | 41·7 |
| October 1968 | … | … | 6·50 | 23·00 | 16·93 | 28·3 | 38·4 |
| November 1969 | … | 7·50 | 25·00 | 18·02 | 30·0 | 41·6 | |
| October 1970 | … | … | 7·50 | 28·05 | 19·98 | 26·7 | 37·5 |
| October 1970 | … | … | 7·50 | 31·50 | 22·30 | 23·8 | 33·6 |
| September 1971 | … | 9·50 | 34·30 | 24·40 | 27·7 | 38·9 | |
| October 1972 | … | … | 9·50 | 39·70 | 28·80 | 23·9 | 33·0 |
| October 1973 | … | … | 9·50 | 44·30 | 31·80 | 21·4 | 29·9 |
| July 1974 | … | … | 13·00 | 50·60 | 35·00 | 25·7 | 37·1 |
| April 1975 | … | … | 20·00 | 60·80 | 40·70 | 32·9 | 49·1 |
| April 1976 | … | … | 35·00 | 71·80 | 47·50 | 48·7 | 73·7 |
| November 1977 | … | 40·00 | 83·30 | 56·40 | 48·0 | 70·9 | |
| November 1978 | … | 45·00 | 95·50 | 65·20 | 47·1 | 69·0 | |
| November 1979 | … | 52·00 | Not available | Not available | Not available | Not available | |
| * From 1948 to 1962 and for those years between 1963 and 1970 in which the earnings limit was unchanged, average earnings were taken from the October inquiry, as published by Department of Employment, and represent the earnings of full-time adult male manual workers in manufacturing industries and some of the principal non-manufacturing industries. For years between 1963 and 1970 in which the earnings limit was changed estimates of average earnings are based on October inquiry estimates by interpolation using the seasonally adjusted monthly index of average earnings (older series) as published by Department of Employment. From 1970 average earnings estimates are based on New Earnings Survey (NES) estimates of average earnings of full-time male workers, 21 years and over, in all occupations, manual and non-manual. (NES estimates began in 1970 and give a broader coverage of earnings than the older series.) Formonths other than April, the April NES estimates have been interpolated to the appropriate months up to 1977 using the monthly index of average earnings (older series), and from 1978 using a centred three month moving average of the whole economy index of average earnings, all employees, as published by Department of Employment. | |||||||
| † Net earnings are gross earnings less tax, at single person rates, and NP contributions at not-contracted-out rates. | |||||||