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Pensioners: Eltham

Volume 457: debated on Monday 5 March 2007

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how much has been spent to tackle pensioner poverty in Eltham since 1997; and if he will make a statement. (123005)

It is not possible to disaggregate spending on pensioner benefits in general to reveal how much has been spent specifically to tackle pensioner poverty in any particular area.

However, our policies have been highly effective in tackling pensioner poverty and now, for the first time ever in a period of sustained economic growth, pensioners are less likely to be in poverty than the population as a whole. Since 1997, 1 million pensioners have been lifted out of poverty. Pension credit has played a key part in addressing pensioner poverty; since its introduction the number of pensioners in relative poverty has fallen by half a million. The latest estimates showed that 2.7 million households were receiving pension credit, and this includes 3,150 households in Eltham.

Nationally, as a result of the measures that this Government have introduced since 1997, we will be spending £10.5 billion more on pensioners in 2006-07 than if 1997 policies had continued. Almost half this spending—over £5 billion—is going to the poorest third of pensioners.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many pensioners in Eltham received (a) state pension, (b) pension credit, (c) winter fuel payments and (d) free television licences in the last period for which figures are available. (123006)

The information requested for state pension, pension credit and winter fuel payments is shown in the following table.

Eltham

Number

Total recipients for state pension

12,900

Total recipients (households) for pension credit

3,150

Total recipients for winter fuel payments

14,220

Notes:

1. The constituencies used for state pension are those used for the Westminster Parliament.

2. Pension credit figure is an early estimate as at November 2006.

3. PC recipients are those people who claim PC either on behalf of themselves only or on behalf of a household. This number is equal to the number of households in receipt of PC.

4. Parliamentary constituencies for pension credit and winter fuel payment are assigned by matching postcodes against the relevant postcode directory.

5. Any residence found to have four or more occupants aged 60 and over is not included in the household figures as it is assumed to be a care home.

Sources:

1. For State Pension—DWP Information Directorate: 100 per cent. Work and Pensions Longitudinal Study data as at August 2006 rounded to the nearest 10.

2. For Pension Credit—Information Directorate 100 per cent. data from the Generalised Matching Service rounded to the nearest 10.

3. For Winter Fuel Payment—Information Directorate, 100 per cent. sample: 2005-06 Winter and rounded to the nearest 10.

The information requested on free TV licences is not available. However, the number of households with at least one person aged 75 or over receiving the winter Fuel payment in the Eltham constituency in 2005-06 was 4,740. Each of these households would therefore be eligible for a free TV licence.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many pensioners in Eltham are entitled to receive pension credit; and how many he estimates have yet to claim it. (123007)

Estimates of eligibility are not available below the level of Great Britain, and it is not therefore possible to say how many pensioners are eligible for pension credit in Eltham or how many have yet to take-up their entitlement.

The latest estimates of the number of pensioners in Great Britain entitled to pension credit were published in “Pension Credit Estimates of Take-Up in 2004-2005”. A copy of the report is available in the Library.

Pension credit has been highly successful in reducing pensioner poverty and now, for the first time in a period of sustained economic growth, pensioners are less likely to be in poverty than the population as a whole. Since the introduction of pension credit, the number of pensioners in relative poverty has fallen by half a million.

We continue to make every effort to ensure that pension credit goes to those who are entitled to it. The latest estimates showed that 2.7 million households were receiving pension credit, and this includes 3,150 households in Eltham.

Notes:

1. The figure provided is an early estimate. The preferred data source for figures supplied by DWP is the Work and Pensions Longitudinal Study (WPLS). However, the figure provided is the latest available figure which is taken from the GMS scan at 1 December 2006. These are adjusted using the historical relationship between WPLS and GMS data to give an estimate of the final WPLS figure.

2. Caseloads are rounded to the nearest 10.

3. Household recipients are those people who claim pension credit either for themselves only or on behalf of a household.

Source:

DWP 100 per cent. data from the Generalised Matching Service (GMS) Pension Credit scan taken as at 1 December 2006