To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what figures are available for the impact of the introduction of the council tax on pensioners, in particular in London.
It is estimated that, after allowing for council tax benefit, about 65 per cent. of pensioner households are better off under the council tax in 1993–94 than they were under the community charge in 1992–93. The corresponding figure for London is 50 per cent. Figures for the other regions are shown in the table.
Pensioner households: Percentage gaining from the council tax | |
Region | Percentage of pensioner households gaining |
North | 75 |
Yorks and Humberside | 70 |
North-West | 70 |
Region | Percentage of pensioner households gaining |
East Midlands | 75 |
West Midlands | 75 |
East Anglia | 70 |
Greater London | 50 |
Rest of South-East | 55 |
South-West | 60 |
England | 65 |
Notes:
1. Figures estimated from the Family Expenditure Survey.
2. Figures include the effect of council tax benefit.
3. Figures are subject to sampling error and have been rounded to the nearest. 5 per cent.
4. A pensioner household is defined as a household including a man aged 65 + or a woman aged 60 +.