Incomes: Pensioners

Kelvin Hopkins
12. To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will undertake comparisons of minimum pensioner incomes across the European Union; and if he will make a statement.

James Purnell
It is difficult to make meaningful comparisons between minimum pensioner incomes in different countries. But for people on low incomes the UK provides one of the best systems of support in Europe replacing 78 per cent. of previous income. In 2005 the OECD concluded that “including benefits from private voluntary schemes, replacement rates in the United Kingdom are a little higher than the OECD average across the earnings range”.