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Older Workers

Mr. Waterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (1) how many new jobs were filled by individuals aged 65 years or older in each year since 1997; [231827]

(2) how many new jobs were filled by workers aged over (a) 55, (b) 60, (c) 65 and (d) 70 years in each year since 1997. [231838]

Kevin Brennan: I have been asked to reply.

The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.

Letter from Karen Dunnell, dated October 2008:

As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question on the number of new jobs that have been filled by individuals aged 65 years or older in each year since 1997, and your Parliamentary Question asking how many new jobs have been filled by workers aged over (a) 55 (b) 60 (c) 65 and (d) 70 years in each year since 1997. (231827 and 231838).

Statistics of new jobs created are not available explicitly from ONS surveys, however the Labour Force Survey (LFS) does enable comparisons of net changes in employment to be made from year to year. Your questions have therefore been answered using the estimated numbers of people employed, from the LFS. Estimates of jobs available from other ONS sources do not provide the detailed age breakdowns you have requested.

The Office for National Statistics compiles its most timely employment statistics from the LFS following International Labour Organisation definitions.

Table 1 attached provides estimates of employment in each year since 1997 for people aged (a) 55-59 (b) 60-64 (c) 65-69 and (d) 70 and over, resident in the UK, along with the net year on year changes for these age bands. Figures are for the April to June quarter in each year.

The estimates in the table are derived from the LFS microdata weighted to estimates published in 2007. They are not entirely consistent with figures published in the monthly Labour Market Statistics First Release which are weighted using more up to date population estimates. As with any survey, results are subject to a margin of uncertainty. A guide to the quality of the estimates is given in Table 1.

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Table 1: Numbers of people employed and year on year change in employment, by five year age band from 1997 to 2008—April to June quarter each year—United Kingdom, not seasonally adjusted
Thousand
	Aged 55-59 years	Net change	Aged 60-64 years	Net change	Aged 65 -69 years	Net change	Aged 70 and over	Net change	Total	Net change
1997	1,787	—	1,025	—	276	—	163	—	3,251	—
1998	1,862	75	970	-55	301	25	147	-16	3,280	29
1999	1,952	91	1,020	49	304	3	159	12	3,435	155
2000	2,048	96	1,054	34	291	-13	167	9	3,560	126
2001	2,167	119	1,078	24	284	-8	152	-15	3,680	119
2002	2,373	207	1,088	11	314	31	165	13	3,941	261
2003	2,557	184	1,184	95	347	33	171	6	4,259	318
2004	2,601	44	1,247	63	366	18	183	13	4,398	138
2005	2,663	62	1,288	41	388	22	192	9	4,531	134
2006	2,683	20	1,384	96	423	35	199	6	4,688	157
2007	2,581	-103	1,540	157	408	-14	221	23	4,751	62
2008(1)	*2,550	-31	*1,656	116	*462	54	**234	12	*4,902	151
(1) Coefficients of Variation have been calculated for the latest period as an indication of the quality of the estimates, described as follows: Guide to Quality: The Coefficient of Variation (CV) indicates the quality of an estimate, the smaller the CV value the higher the quality. The true value is likely to lie within +/- twice the CV—for example, for an estimate of 200 with a CV of 5 per cent. we would expect the population total to be within the range 180-220. Key Coefficient of Variation (CV) (%) Statistical Robustness * 0 < = CV< 5 Estimates are considered precise ** 5 < = CV < 10 Estimates are considered reasonably precise *** 10 < = CV < 20 Estimates are considered acceptable **** CV ≥ 20 Estimates are considered too unreliable for practical purposes Source: Labour Force Survey

Pension Credit

Mr. Waterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (1) how much his Department distributed in pension credit to pensioners over the age of (a) 65, (b) 75 and (c) 80 years in each of the last 10 years; [231842]

(2) how much his Department distributed in the form of pension credit in each year since 1997. [231843]

Ms Rosie Winterton: The information requested is in the following table.

Table 1: Pension credit expenditure in cash terms
£ million
	All ages	Age 65 or over	Age 75 or over	Age 80 or over
2003-04	2,413	1,824	1,122	783
2004-05	5,971	4,590	2,829	1,978
2005-06	6,426	4,965	3,056	2,140
2006-07	6,869	5,325	3,272	2,292
2007-08	7,332	5,656	3,450	2,413

Table 2: Pension credit expenditure in 2008-09 prices
£ million
	All ages	Age 65 or over	Age 75 or over	Age 80 or over
2003-04	2,770	2,093	1,288	899
2004-05	6,670	5,127	3,160	2,209
2005-06	7,030	5,432	3,343	2,341
2006-07	7,305	5,663	3,479	2,437
2007-08	7,552	5,826	3,553	2,485
Notes: 1. Pension credit was introduced on 3 October 2003, so expenditure figures for 2003-04 are part year figures. 2. Expenditure has been converted from cash terms to 2008-09 prices using GDP Deflators which were published alongside the 2008 Budget report. Source: Budget 2008 Benefit Expenditure Tables and DWP Accounting Systems.

Mr. Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what steps his Department is taking to work with voluntary organisations such as Age Concern and Help the Aged to promote take-up of pension credit. [232976]

Ms Rosie Winterton: The Pension, Disability and Carers Service (PDCS) work at both a local and national level with Age Concern and Help the Aged to promote take-up of pension credit.

Age Concern and Help the Aged have been our strategic partners since 2003 as members of the Partnership against Poverty Forum. At a local level, they are important partners within the Joint Working Partnerships we have developed with all 203 primary-tier local authorities. These partnerships provide a single point of access to social care and benefit entitlement to some of the most vulnerable pensioners.

PDCS are also currently developing a joint pension credit take-up campaign with both voluntary organisations.

Pension Credit: Bolton

Mr. Crausby: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people resident in (a) Bolton North East constituency and (b) Bolton have received pension credit since its introduction. [232677]

Ms Rosie Winterton: The information requested is in the following table.

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