OLD AGE PENSIONS.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 55, 28 November 1907, Page 5

OLD AGE PENSIONS.

BRITISH SCHEME,

TIIE GOVERNMENT'S REPORTED INTENTIONS.. BY TELEGRAPH—I'RESS ASSOCIATION—COPYRIGHT. London, November 26. The "Westminster Gazette" states that the Government will probably in 1908 dovote fivo or six millions to old age pensions. On July IG, an important memorandum on the history of the efforts to institute old age pensions in Great Britain, and the probable cost under the various schemes put forward, was issued by the Local Government Board. Board. The most interesting side of tho question (says the "Daily Express") is the probable cost which would be incurred by the institution of a system of old age pensions, and for the purpose of the memorandum the figures submitted to tho various coinuiittccs of inquiry have been carefully revised and applied to the present year. First, with regard to the proposal for universal old age pensions, there are to-day 2,116,000 persons in Great Britain sixty-five years old and upwards, and of these 1,2.54,000 are over seventy years of age. To give pensions to all, without distinction, would cost as follows:— Age limit. Pension. Year's cost. Go and upwards ... ss. a week ... .£27,508,000 70 and upwards ... ss. a week ... <£16,302,000 Owing to the steady growth which is taking place in the aged section of the population, the cost of universal pensions with tho ago limit of sixty-five years in the year 1921 is estimated to reach 0C30,032,000. Universal old age pensions, however, have boon rejected by nearly every committee which has considered the matter. Many schemes for limitations were proposed, but that meeting with the most favour was put forward by Mr. Chaplin's commitlce in 1809. This scheme proposed that pensions should not be given to the following persons :— Those in receipt of an income of 10s. a week. ... Those who have received poor relief within twenty years of their application for a pension. Aliens, lunatics, and criminals. •Those who could not show that they have endeavoured to make provision -for themselves and those dependent on them. These deductions from the persons who would be pensionable would account for more than half of the aged persons in the community, and the estimated cost of providing the remainder with pensions of Gs. a week .is as follows:— 1307. ; Age limit. Persons. Cost. 65 and over 686,105 .£10,465,879 70 „ „ 356.602 ......... 5,8&t,497 75 „ „ 189,693, 2,889,015 1911. Go and over 70G.14G ".£10,772,397 70 „ „ 395.931 6.032,012 75 „ „ 191.116 2,990,643 1921. 65 and over 762,802 .£11,653,907 70 „ ~ 423,586 G,467,900 75 „ 215,742 v 3.299,995 To the estimated cost, in each case lias to be added an amount for administration, estimated at about 3 per cent, on the total pensions given. Thus for the present year the cost of administration, with the ago limit at sixtv-fivc years, would amount to just- over £313,000.