Incomprehensible arithmetic

[Tubby Isaacs]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/8219344.stm

The cost of membership will be £6.4bn - the equivalent of about £260 for every household in the UK. In 2004, the total bill was £4.1bn - £53 per household.

What's going on with these households?

Still, Brussels much be a nice place with this £6.4bn subsidy that, according to the Tories, all gets spent there.

[pebblethefish]

Incomprehensible arithmetic

Obviously the fact that in 2004 there were apparently more households in Britain than there were people (according to their maths) doesn't concern them. Was it all the MPs' second homes?

[Stumpy Pepys]

Incomprehensible arithmetic

I've had some limited dealings with BBC News and lets just say that maths wasn't their strong point.

They were unable to grasp the difference between a patient episode (any single contact with a healthcare service) and a patient.

[Guff Daddy]

Incomprehensible arithmetic

Well, no, actually. The report states

The cost of membership will rise to £6.4bn - equivalent to about £260 per UK household - from £4.1bn in 2009/10.

Later on it mentions

In 2004, the figure was £53 per household.

There is no mention of the £53/household being equivalent to £4.1 bn.

The 6.4bn is projected for 2010/2011 at £260 per household, which implies a total number of households of around 25m (probably correct). The 4.1bn for 2009/10 implies a cost of £164 per household. £164 plus 60% =£262.

The 2004 total was £1.3bn. Give or take, like...