Current social security legislation provides for public service pension to be adjusted by the same rate as the additional pension, and for such adjustments to take place only if there has been an increase in the prices over a given period.
The effect of increasing both the basic state pension and additional pension by 1.5 per cent., compared with increasing the basic state pension by 2.5 per cent., would be to reduce the average increase in state pension overall as a result of uprating in April 2010, from around £2 a week to around £1.50 a week.
More detailed data on pensioners' overall income split by detailed source are not available.
The information requested can be found in the following tables where available. The figures relate to the proportion of the population in receipt of basic state pension, who are estimated to be over state pension age and alive at the end of March 2009.
Number Proportion over state pension age (percentage) 2009 11,100,000 94 2008 10,900,000 95 2007 10,800,000 96 2006 10,600,000 96 2005 10,500,000 96 2004 10,400,000 96 2003 10,300,000 96 2002 10,200,000 96
Number Proportion over state pension age (percentage) 2008 33,400 97 2007 33,000 97 2006 33,200 96 2005 33,200 97 2004 33,200 97 2003 33,200 96 2002 33,800 96
Number Proportion over state pension age (percentage) 2008 277,000 95 2007 270,000 96 2006 263,000 96 2005 260,000 96 2004 256,400 97 2003 251,800 96 2002 247,600 96 Notes: 1. The latest population and administrative data are from 2009. The latest population figures for Essex and Southend are from the ONS Mid-2008 Population Estimates. 2. The earliest available regional caseload data only go back to 2002. Figures for Essex relate to Essex local authority district and for Southend relate to Southend-on-Sea unitary authority. 3. GB estimates are rounded to the nearest 100,000 people, those for Essex and Southend to the nearest 100 people. 4. The remaining pensioners not in receipt of a basic state pension, but eligible, will be in the process of deferring their state pension. Following a period of state pension deferral a claimant can either: (i) take a lump sum that will have accrued at a rate of two percentage points above the Bank of England base rate or; (ii) receive extra state pension whereby an additional one per cent. is added to the value of the state pension for every five weeks of deferral.
The available information is in the following table.
Total Male Female Glenrothes parliamentary constituency 11,200 6,000 5,100 Scotland 633,400 316,800 316,600 GB 6,952,000 3,661,200 3,290,700 Notes: 1. Figures are for claimants with a full basic state pension as at March 2009. 2. Figures are subject to a high degree of sampling error and should only be used as a guide. 3. Caseload figures are rounded to the nearest 100. Totals may not sum due to rounding. Source: Department for Work and Pensions, Information Directorate, 5 per cent. sample