House of Commons Hansard Written Answers for 10 Feb 2005 (pt 40)

10 Feb 2005 : Column 1776W—continued

Pension Credit

Annabelle Ewing: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what statistics his Department has collected on (a) take-up and (b) eligibility to pension credit since 31 October 2004; and if he will collect and publish statistics on pension credit eligibility at constituency level. [214691]

Malcolm Wicks: Information on levels of pension credit take-up and eligibility is not collected directly. Estimates of eligibility are derived from the yearly Family Resources Survey (FRS). Current estimates are projected forward using the FRS for 2002–03 and modelled with the Department's Policy Simulation Model. Robust figures on eligibility and take-up will not be available until full analysis of the FRS for 2003–04 and will be published in the National Statistics publication Income Related Benefits Estimates of Take-Up". The FRS does not provide enough information to break down figures to constituency level.

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Information on numbers of households and individuals in receipt of pension credit in each Government Office Region and constituency at 31 December 2004 was published in the most recent quarterly pension credit progress report, on 3 February. A copy of the report is in the Library.

Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many recipients of pension credit in each Greater London borough are receiving (a) less than 10p,

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(b) 10p to 19p, (c) 20p to 29p, (d) 30p to 39p, (e) 40p to 49p, (f) 50p to 59p, (g) 60p to 69p, (h) 70p to 79p, (i) 80p to 89p and (j) 90p to 99p per week. [214790]

Malcolm Wicks: The figures in question for individual London boroughs are too small to be reliable. The information for inner and outer London areas is given in the following table. An award of pension credit of less than 10p per week is not payable unless the person is receiving another benefit payable with pension credit.
Pension credit awards of less than £1, London Government office region (GOR), 31 December 2004

All Less than 10p 10p-19p 20p-29p 30p-39p 40p-49p

London GOR 500 35 25 30 20 45

Outer London

East and North East 150 10 10 10 5 15

West and North West 95 5 5 ⁽⁴⁰⁾— 5 10

South 70 5 ⁽⁴⁰⁾— 5 — 5

Inner London

West 50 5 ⁽⁴⁰⁾— ⁽⁴⁰⁾— ⁽⁴⁰⁾— 5

East 135 10 5 5 10 10

50p-59p 60p-69p 70p-79p 80p-89p 90p-99p

London GOR 40 60 75 75 100

Outer London

East and North East 5 15 30 20 25

West and North West 10 10 10 15 25

South 10 10 10 10 15

Inner London

West 5 5 10 5 10

East 10 15 15 25 25

⁽⁴⁰⁾Nil or negligible.
Notes:
1.Data as at 10 December 2004 have been rated up to give month end figures.
2.Figures are rounded to the nearest 5.
3.Totals may not sum due to rounding.
4.Local authorities are assigned by matching postcodes against the relevant ONS postcode directory.
Source:
IAD Information Centre, Department for Work and Pensions, 100 per cent. sample.

	All	Less than 10p	10p-19p	20p-29p	30p-39p	40p-49p
London GOR	500	35	25	30	20	45

Outer London
East and North East	150	10	10	10	5	15
West and North West	95	5	5	⁽⁴⁰⁾—	5	10
South	70	5	⁽⁴⁰⁾—	5	—	5

Inner London
West	50	5	⁽⁴⁰⁾—	⁽⁴⁰⁾—	⁽⁴⁰⁾—	5
East	135	10	5	5	10	10

	50p-59p	60p-69p	70p-79p	80p-89p	90p-99p
London GOR	40	60	75	75	100

Outer London
East and North East	5	15	30	20	25
West and North West	10	10	10	15	25
South	10	10	10	10	15

Inner London
West	5	5	10	5	10
East	10	15	15	25	25

Paul Holmes: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (1) how many people are eligible to receive the pension credit severe disability premium; and how many people receive it; [215151]

(2) how many people are eligible to receive the pension credit carers premium; and how many people receive it. [215152]

Malcolm Wicks: At 31 August 2004, the most recent date for which figures are available, approximately 584,600 recipients of pension credit in Great Britain were in receipt of the extra amount payable to those with severe disability and 129,600 were in receipt of the extra amount payable to carers. Estimates of how many people are eligible to receive these additional amounts are not available.

Notes:

1. Data has been taken from a 5 per cent. sample and is subject to a degree of sampling variation.

2. Figures are rounded to the nearest hundred.

Source:

IAD Information Centre, Department for Work and Pensions

Mr. David Marshall: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people claimed pension credit in each constituency in Scotland in the latest period for which figures are available. [215391]

Malcolm Wicks: Information on numbers of households and individuals in receipt of pension credit in each constituency at 31 December 2004 is contained in the most recent quarterly pension credit progress report, which was published on 3 February. A copy of the report is in the Library.

Mr. Kevan Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many pensioners have received pension credit in North Durham since its inception. [214679]

Malcolm Wicks: Approximately 5,800 households in the constituency of Durham North, comprising approximately 7,100 individuals, have received pension credit since it was introduced in October 2003.

Notes:

1.Data has been taken as at November 2003, February 2004, May 2004 and August 2004.

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2.The total number of pension credit claimants has been derived by summing customers who existed on at least one of the quarterly data extracts referred to in note 1.

3.Figures are rounded to the nearest hundred.

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

5.Parliamentary constituencies are assigned by matching postcodes against the relevant ONS postcode directory.

6.Pension credit replaced the minimum income guarantee from 6 October 2003.

7.Individual recipients may include a small number of partners under the age of 60.

Source: IAD Information Centre, Department for Work and Pensions, five per cent. sample.

Pension Payment

Mr. Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what guidance has been issued to post offices on procedures to be followed in relation to payment of pensions over Post Office counters to people who have not set up Post Office accounts or supplied bank details to the Benefits Agency; and if he will make a statement. [214842]

Mr. Pond: The Department has not issued any guidance to Post Office Ltd. concerning those pensioners who have not yet provided account details or opened a Post Office card account. The responsibility for issuing guidance to Post Office staff on benefit and pensions matters rests with Post Office Ltd., following the appropriate level of consultation with DWP.

Mr. Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many pensioners have had payment books withdrawn by Post Office staff on instructions from the Benefits Agency relating to new pension payment arrangements. [214843]

Mr. Pond: None.

The Pension Service would not issue instructions to Post Office staff to withdraw an order book as part of the process of conversion to direct payment.

Mr. Kevan Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how much money the average pensioner in North Durham received in (a) 2001 and (b) the last year for which figures are available. [214462]

Malcolm Wicks: The information requested is not available.

Helen Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how much money the average pensioner received in Warrington, North in (a) 1997 and (b) the last year for which figures are available. [214966]

Malcolm Wicks: The information requested is not available.

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