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Pensions

Volume 201: debated on Monday 16 December 1991

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To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is in percentage terms the value of the state retirement pension for single people and couples, in relation to the index of average earnings, for each year since 1979.

Basic retirement pension is not a complete/relevant indicator of pensioners' well-being. What counts is their total income from all sources. Between 1979 and 1988 pensioners' average net incomes rose by 34 per cent. in real terms. However, the information requested is given in the tables.

Table 1

Value, in percentage terms, of basic retirement pension for a single person in relation to average earnings 1

Date2

Average Weekly3 Earnings

Standard Rate Retirement Pension

Percentage

£

£

November 1979114·1023·3020·4
November 1980135·1027·1520·1
November 1981149·5029·6019·8
November 1982160·6032·8520·5
November 1983175·30340·519·4
November 1984187·4035·8019·1
November 1985199·5038·3019·2
July 1986210·9038·7018·3
April 19872240039·5017·6
April 1988245·8041·1516·7
April 1989269·5043·6016·2
April 1990295·6046·9015·9
April 1991320·6052·0016·2

1Average earnings are taken from the New Earnings Survey and are for all full-time adult males.

2As at the date of uprating each year.

3As at April each year.

Table 2

Value, in percentage terms, of basic state retirement pension for a married couple in relation to average earnings1.

Date2

Average weekly3 earnings

Standard rale retirement pension

Percentage

£

£

November 1979114·1037·3032·7
November 1980135·1043·4532·2
November 1981149·5047·3531·7
November 1982160·6052·5532·7
November 1983175·3054·5031·1
November 1984187·4057·3030·6
November 1985199·5061·3030·7
July 1986210·9061·9529·4
April 1987224·0063·2528·2
April 1988245·8065·9026·8
April 1989269·5069·8025·9
April 1990295·6075·1025·4
April 1991320·6083·2526·0

1 The index of average earnings used is the all adult male new earnings survey.

2 As at the date of uprating each year.

3 As at April of each year.