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Pensioners: Paisley

Volume 471: debated on Thursday 31 January 2008

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the average value of benefits in kind provided by the state to (a) single pensioners and (b) pensioner couples in Paisley and Renfrewshire, North was in each year since 1997. (180985)

A wide range of services and benefits in kind are available to older people and these are administered both centrally and locally. As a result the information requested is not available in the format requested: some information is not collected, some could be obtained only at disproportionate cost and some is devolved to Scottish Ministers. The information which is available is as follows.

TV licences

Free television licences for people aged 75 or over were introduced in November 2000. TV Licensing, who administer free licences as agents for the BBC, are not able to provide geographical breakdowns of licences issued. However, figures, shown in the following table, are available for the number of households with at least one person aged 75 or over claiming winter fuel payments in Paisley and Renfrewshire, North constituency. These people would be eligible for a free television licence.

Paisley and Renfrewshire, North constituency

Number of households with someone aged 75 or over

2004-05

9,340

2005-06

4,300

2006-071

4,420

1 Main payment run only

Notes:

1. Data for 2004-05 include West Renfrewshire, Paisley North and Paisley South as this was before the new parliamentary constituencies were divided.

2. Data prior to 2004-05 are not available.