---

Pensioner Incomes

Mr. Boswell: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the (a) mean level of income of each decile of people of working age and (b) overall mean income was in the last 12 months for which figures are available; and what the (i) mean level of income of each decile of pensioners and (ii) overall mean income of pensioners was in the same period. [40110]

Mr. Nicholas Brown [holding answer 5 March 2002]: Such information as is available is in the tables.

Equivalised money values of decile median income, and overall mean income, for working age adults and pensioners in December 2000 prices, including the self- employed.

£pw

	Working age adults	Pensioners
	Income before housing costs
Decile 1 Bottom 10%	116	123
Decile 2 10–20%	165	155
Decile 3 20–30%	199	179
Decile 4 30–40%	237	199
Decile 5 40–50%	278	221
Decile 6 50–60%	321	244
Decile 7 60–70%	372	277
Decile 8 70–80%	435	322
Decile 9 80–90%	524	391
Decile 10 90–100%	755	573
Total population (Mean)	363	284
	Income after housing costs
Decile 1 Bottom 10%	75	102
Decile 2 10–20%	119	130
Decile 3 20–30%	154	146
Decile 4 30–40%	194	166
Decile 5 40–50%	235	193
Decile 6 50–60%	276	222
Decile 7 60–70%	322	259
Decile 8 70–80%	380	301
Decile 9 80–90%	462	377
Decile 10 90–100%	678	562
Total population (Mean)	311	260

Notes:

1. All figures are estimates and are taken from the Households Below Average Income (HBAI) data set which is derived from the Family Resources Survey (FRS). The FRS does not include Northern Ireland and 1999–2000 is the latest year for which data are available.

2. The estimates are sample counts, which have been adjusted for non-response using multipurpose grossing factors that control for tenure, council tax band and a number of other variables. Estimates are subject to both sampling error and to variability in non-response and are presented on both a Before Housing Costs (BHC) and an After Housing Costs (AHC) basis in line with HBAI conventions.

3. The income measure used is weekly net (disposable) equivalised household income, that is to say income that is adjusted to reflect the composition of the household. This process reflects the common sense notion that a family of several people needs a higher income than a single person in order for both households to enjoy a comparable standard of living. Equivalence scales conventionally take a couple with no children as a reference point, with the cash incomes of larger households adjusted downwards, and smaller households upwards, relative to this benchmark. The income figures quoted therefore relate to the 'cash' income of a couple with no children only, and the equivalisation process must be reversed in order for them to be converted into cash incomes for other family types.

Source:

Family Resources Survey

11 Mar 2002 : Column 727W

Hospital Patients (Benefits)

Pete Wishart: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many patients in long stay hospitals and nursing homes in Scotland are in receipt of benefits, broken down by benefits accessed. [37954]

Mr. McCartney: The information requested is not available. Such information as is available is set out in the tables:

Income support claimants in Scotland in residential care/nursing home or in hospital for more than 52 weeks, August 2001Thousand

Circumstance type	Number of claimants
All	26.5
Residential care homes	3.1
Private nursing homes	1.2
Part III	1.3
Hospital personal allowance (over 52 weeks)	(19)0.4
Residential allowance	20.4

⁽¹⁹⁾ Figure based on a very few sample cases and therefore subject to a high degree of sampling error and should be used as a guide to the current situation only.

Notes:

1. Figures are based on a 5 per cent. sample and are therefore subject to a degree of sampling variation.

2. Figure has been rounded to the nearest hundred and quoted in thousands.

Source:

Income Support Quarterly Statistical Enquiry, August 2001.

Incapacity benefit, severe disablement allowance and retirement pension recipients who have been in hospital for more than 52 weeksThousand

	Number of recipients
Incapacity benefit	(20)0.4
Severe disablement allowance	1.5
Retirement pension	3.2

⁽²⁰⁾ Figure based on a very few sample cases and therefore subject to a high degree of sampling error and should be used as a guide to the current situation only.

Notes:

1. All 5 per cent. samples are subject to sampling error.

2. Figures are rounded to the nearest hundred.

3. Figures exclude Channel Islands and overseas cases.

Sources:

1. IB and SDA figures are taken from a 5 per cent. sample of the benefit computer system and exclude a small number of cases held clerically. Figures are expressed as thousands and are rounded to the nearest hundred.

2. Pension Strategy Computer System at 30 September 2001 based on a 5 per cent. sample.

Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to his answer of 11 December 2001, Official Report, column 43W, on hospital stays, when his Department will announce the result of its consideration of the rules governing the docking of benefits for hospital in-patients. [30132]

11 Mar 2002 : Column 728W

Mr. McCartney: I refer the hon. Member to my answer of 25 February 2002, Official Report, column 778W.

Doctors' Handwriting

Mr. Breed: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what plans he has to require doctors to produce evidence that is typed instead of handwritten in hearings of appeals of disability claims to the tribunal service. [38334]

Maria Eagle [holding answer 28 February 2002]: Medical Services are aware of problems with the legibility of some doctors' handwriting. They are currently developing a computer supported system for use in Personal Capability Assessments produced in examination centres which will generate typed reports, underpinned by the principles of an evidence-based medicine approach to the assessment.

Medical reports for disability living allowance and attendance allowance are undertaken in the claimant's home. Computer generated reports in these circumstances are not a feasible option at present. The Department is undertaking a review of the current report form and will ensure that the format of the new report assists in legible completion. Where a decision-maker is unable to read a report it is returned to Medical Services for clarification.

Linked Benefits

Mr. Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will list all linked benefits available automatically to those entitled to certain means-tested benefits, stating the qualifications for entitlement. [35219]

Malcolm Wicks [holding answer 11 February 2002]: People who receive either income support or income- based jobseeker's allowance are entitled to apply for the following additional benefits.

Free milk and vitamins are available to people who are pregnant or who have a child under 5 years. Where a person has dependant children in full-time education they are entitled to free school meals. People who have savings of less than £8,000, or £12,000 if aged 60 or over, are entitled to free national health service (NHS) prescriptions, dental treatment, wigs, fabric supports, sight tests, money-off vouchers for glasses and help with the cost of travel to hospital for NHS treatment.

For those people who have a close relative or partner in prison help with the cost of travel to visit them is available. Assistance can also be given to someone who is not a close relative or partner where they are the only adult visitor.

In addition, pensioners, disabled people and families with young children receiving income support or income- based jobseeker's allowance qualify for cold weather payments. These payments are made automatically if the average temperature at a specified meteorological weather station has been recorded, or is forecast to be, zero degrees celsius or below over seven consecutive days.

A variety of local government schemes and benefits are also available to people on low incomes. Details of these schemes are not collected centrally.

11 Mar 2002 : Column 729W

Housing Benefit

Ms Oona King: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what percentage of possession proceedings for rent arrears in local authority and RSL accommodation related to tenants who have had their benefit reduced as a result of one or more non-dependent deductions in the last 12 months for which figures are available; what the average age is of housing benefit claimants affected by non-dependent deductions; what percentage of housing benefit claimants affected by non-dependent deductions are (a) registered disabled, (b) over 60 years old, (c) in receipt of income support or JSA and (d) lone parents; and what estimate he has made of the percentage of housing benefit claimants affected by non-dependant deductions who are left with a disposable income below income support level, once the non-dependent deduction has been taken into account. [34550]

Malcolm Wicks: We believe it is right that adult members of a household who are not eligible for housing benefit should contribute towards the cost of rent where they are financially able to do so. Non-dependent deductions are designed to reduce housing benefit to take account of the contribution towards rent that other members of the household should make. We would therefore expect any shortfall in housing benefit resulting from a non-dependent deduction could be met by the non-dependant person.

The available information is in the table.

11 Mar 2002 : Column 730W

Percentage of housing benefit cases in which non-dependent deductions have been applied—May 2000

Client group—Great Britain	Percentage
(a) Receiving a disability premium	3
(b) Aged 60 and over	5
(c) Income support/income-based jobseeker's allowance	4
(d) Lone parents	3

Notes:

1. Housing benefit recipients may fall into more than one client group so there may be overlaps between each client group.

2. The figures are based on a 1 per cent. sample and are subject to a degree of sampling variation.

3. The data refer to housing benefit recipients which may be a single person, a couple or a family. More than one benefit recipient can live in one property, for example two or more adults in a flat or house share.

4. The percentages have been rounded to the nearest whole number.

5. The average age of housing benefit recipients affected by non-dependant deductions is 59 years.

Source:

Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit Management Information System, annual 1 per cent. sample, taken in May 2000

---