asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many pensioners are currently maintaining their own households; and how many are not householders, distinguishing between married couples and single people.
I regret that the question cannot be answered in the precise form requested, in that the information relating to pensioners is not available. However, the following table gives the estimated numbers of persons over pension age living as householders and non-householders, showing the split between married couples and single people, in 1977.
| Thousands | |||
| Married couple (head over pension age) | Single people | ||
| Householders | … | 2,140 | 3,480 |
| Non-householders | … | [30] | 670 |
| Total | … | 2,170 | 4,150 |
Notes:
1. The estimates are based on the DHSS analysis of incomes and other information recorded by respondents to the Family Expenditure Survey 1977. The estimates are subject to statistical error. The figure in square brackets is subject to very considerable proportionate statistical error.
2. All figures are rounded to the nearest 10,000.
3. These estimates relate only to the population living in private households; families and persons in institutions are not sampled in the Family Expenditure Survey.