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WRITTEN QUESTION TO THE MINISTER FOR SOCIAL SECURITY BY DEPUTY G.P. SOUTHERN OF ST. HELIER
ANSWER TO BE TABLED ON TUESDAY 2nd FEBRUARY 2016
Question
Further to the response to written question 9153, tabled on 19th January 2016, will the Minister give a full breakdown of the number of single pensioner Income Support claims by weekly pension income bands, along with a similar breakdown for pensioner couples showing the median (50%) figure in each case?
Will she further provide a breakdown of the weekly income of those 31% of Income Support pensioner claimants who have no income other than a States pension, along with the overall incomes of the 69% who have two or more income sources (second pension, earnings, Long Term Incapacity Allowance)?
Will she also give a breakdown of Income Support claims for the 200 or so new pension claimants who became pensioners in 2005 and indicate whether this profile is expected to change markedly in 2016 when the new disregards are in place?
Answer
Number of pensioner households claiming Income Support by pension income band as at 31/12/2015
Weekly Pension Income from all Pensions (£) | Number of Single Pensioners | Number of Pensioner Couples |
0-49 | 45 | Fewer than 10 |
50-99 | 91 | Fewer than 10 |
100-149 | 259 | Fewer than 10 |
150-199 | 457 | 11 |
200-249 | 462 | 20 |
250-299 | 119 | 58 |
300-349 | 58 | 96 |
350-399 | 11 | 45 |
400+ | Fewer than 10 | 49 |
Single pensioner median pension income from all pensions: £190 per week. Couple pensioner median pension income from all pensions: £332 per week.
Number of pensioner households claiming Income Support who just have a States pension as at 31/12/2015
Weekly Pension Income from SOJ Pension (£) | Single Pensioner | Pensioner Couple |
0-49 | 14 | Fewer than 10 |
50-99 | 41 | Fewer than 10 |
100-149 | 111 | Fewer than 10 |
150-199 | 125 | Fewer than 10 |
200-249 | 151 | Fewer than 10 |
250-299 | Fewer than 10 | 18 |
300-349 | Fewer than 10 | 39 |
Single pensioner median pension income: £169 per week Couple pensioner median pension income: £309 per week
Number of pensioner households claiming Income Support who have two or more income sources (excluding Income Support)
Total Weekly Income excluding Income Support (£) | Single Pensioner | Pensioner Couple |
0-49 | Fewer than 10 | Fewer than 10 |
50-99 | 25 | Fewer than 10 |
100-149 | 109 | Fewer than 10 |
150-199 | 294 | Fewer than 10 |
200-249 | 312 | Fewer than 10 |
250-299 | 144 | 37 |
300-349 | 77 | 54 |
350-399 | 21 | 53 |
400+ | 31 | 59 |
Single pensioner household median total income: £209 per week Couple pensioner household median total income: £352 per week
Number of new pensioner households claiming Income Support in 2015 (NB – Question refers to 2005, prior to introduction of Income Support. Figures have been provided for 2015)
Total Weekly Income excluding Income Support (£) | Single Pensioner | Pensioner Couple |
0-49 | Fewer than 10 | Fewer than 10 |
50-99 | Fewer than 10 | |
100-149 | 20 | |
150-199 | 38 | |
200-249 | 38 | |
250-299 | 17 | 14 |
300-349 | 11 | |
350+ | 17 | 12 |
New single pensioner household median total income before Income Support: £200 per week New couple pensioner household median total income before Income Support: £324 per week
The distribution of incomes for new pensioner claims in 2015 is higher than the equivalent distribution for older claims. This suggests that the income profile of new claims in 2016 will continue to lie above that of existing claims.
The new pension income disregards provide an incentive for working age people to provide for a higher pension income in later life. The answer to Written Question 9153, tabled on 19 January 2016, shows that with the new rules, net household income including Income Support now increases as pension income increases for new pensioner claims.
The new disregards and the outcomes of other complementary work (on age discrimination and encouraging workplace pensions; for example), will help to strengthen the incomes for new pensioner claims in the future.