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Pensions

Answer

The information you requested is set out in the table below.

Table A: Comparison of Mean/Median Average Ages of Recipients of State Pension
State Pension Recipients : May 2011
Country of Residence	All Recipients	Mean Average Age	Median Average Age
Great Britain	11,442,300	74	72
Bangladesh	2,310	76	76
India	5,060	73	73
Pakistan	4,480	77	77
USA	139,040	75	75

The department does have a data matching programme in order to prevent and identify fraudulent claims. We have data exchanges in place with Australia, New Zealand, Ireland, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Malta, Spain and the Channel Islands. We are in discussions with many other countries regarding pensions and death data matching (including an element for sickness and mean-tested benefits) and will imminently be signing a data matching exchange with Sweden. We also purchase data from overseas and we buy death indexes from USA with very good results. In addition to data matching with other countries we also data match with the Royal Mail (Do not Redirect) and with the Foreign Commonwealth Office (FCO) regarding overseas deaths. "Source Table A: DWP Information, Governance and Security Directorate: Work and Pensions Longitudinal Study""1. Caseload figures are rounded to the nearest 10, mean and median age to the nearest whole number: totals may not sum due to rounding.""2. Country code for abroad cases as recorded on the department's administrative systems. This is not necessarily the claimant's permanent place of residence.""3. DWP does not hold benefit statistics for Northern Ireland. Benefit statistics are published on the Department for Social Development Northern Ireland's (DSDNI) website at http://www.dsdni.gov.uk/index/stats." "Source Table A: DWP Information, Governance and Security Directorate: Work and Pensions Longitudinal Study""1. Caseload figures are rounded to the nearest 10, mean and median age to the nearest whole number: totals may not sum due to rounding.""2. Country code for abroad cases as recorded on the department's administrative systems. This is not necessarily the claimant's permanent place of residence.""3. DWP does not hold benefit statistics for Northern Ireland. Benefit statistics are published on the Department for Social Development Northern Ireland's (DSDNI) website at http://www.dsdni.gov.uk/index/stats." "1. Caseload figures are rounded to the nearest 10, mean and median age to the nearest whole number: totals may not sum due to rounding.""2. Country code for abroad cases as recorded on the department's administrative systems. This is not necessarily the claimant's permanent place of residence.""3. DWP does not hold benefit statistics for Northern Ireland. Benefit statistics are published on the Department for Social Development Northern Ireland's (DSDNI) website at http://www.dsdni.gov.uk/index/stats." "2. Country code for abroad cases as recorded on the department's administrative systems. This is not necessarily the claimant's permanent place of residence.""3. DWP does not hold benefit statistics for Northern Ireland. Benefit statistics are published on the Department for Social Development Northern Ireland's (DSDNI) website at http://www.dsdni.gov.uk/index/stats." "3. DWP does not hold benefit statistics for Northern Ireland. Benefit statistics are published on the Department for Social Development Northern Ireland's (DSDNI) website at http://www.dsdni.gov.uk/index/stats."

Secondary information

Type

Written question

Reference

16199; 736 c159-60WA

Session

2010-12

Related items

Pensions
Wednesday, 28 March 2012
Written questions
House of Lords

Subjects

British nationals abroad India Pakistan State retirement pensions USA Bangladesh

Contains statistics

Yes

Link

View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk