WIREDGOV

DWP Quarterly Statistical Summary

DEPARTMENT FOR WORK AND PENSIONS News Release (IFD141107SSMAY07) issued by The Government News Network on 14 November 2007

Coverage: Great Britain (unless otherwise stated)

Introduction

This Statistical Summary aims to give users a structured overview of the National Statistics published by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP). Statistics are grouped by component area of DWP and, for each statistic, links are given for users to access more detailed information.

Key benefit statistics and New Deal statistics from 100% sources are available on an internet-based tabulation tool. A similar tabulation tool derived from 5% sample data is also available, however wherever possible 100% data should be used in preference to 5% estimates, as they are more accurate and form DWP's headline statistics.

Not all DWP National Statistics are covered by this release. Some statistics have their own first releases but links to these are given throughout.

Key Findings

* The working age incapacity benefits caseload continued its sequence of quarterly falls. The annual decrease to May '07 was 45 thousand, with the caseload standing at 2.64 million.

* The number of jobseekers decreased 93 thousand in the year to May '07 to stand at 837 thousand.

* The downward trend in the lone parent caseload continued. In the year to May '07 it fell 9 thousand to 776 thousand.

* 2.97 million people had started on a New Deal programme up to August '07. To date, 1.86 million people have gained a job through the New Deal programme, with 86 thousand people gaining a job through Employment Zones.

* At May '07 there were 12.05 million people of State Pension age claiming a key benefit, an increase of 206 thousand since May '06. Of these, 66% were claiming State Pension only.

* At May'07, there were 11.85 million claimants of State Pension, a rise of 205 thousand on a year earlier. Of these, 37% were male and 63% female.

* At May '07, there were 2.73 million claimants of Pension Credit (3.34 million including partners), a rise of 16 thousand on a year earlier. Of these, 806 thousand were claiming Guarantee Credit only, 1.33 million were claiming both Guarantee and Savings Credit, and 598 thousand were claiming Savings Credit only.

* At the end of September '07, the total CSA caseload stood at 1.4 million cases, of which 47% were new scheme cases.

* At May '07, there were 2.88 million recipients of Disability Living Allowance, 465 thousand recipients of Carer's Allowance, and 1.51 million recipients of Attendance Allowance.

New experimental statistics on benefit flows show:

* There were 584 thousand new claims to Incapacity Benefit and 587 thousand new claims to Income Support in the year to May '07.

* There were 628 thousand and 589 thousand benefit exits for Incapacity Benefit and Income Support, respectively, in the year to May '07.

* There were 265 thousand new claims to Pension Credit in the 12 months to May '07; 192 thousand of these were for the Guarantee Credit element.
Contents

1. Working Age
                                                          page
      1.1 Working age Client Group                         3
      Individual Benefits
       1.2 Jobseeker's Allowance                           5
       1.3 Incapacity Benefits                             6
      1.4 Income Support                                   8
       1.5 Housing Benefit                                 9
       1.6 Council Tax Benefit                             10
       1.7 Widow's Benefit & Bereavement Benefit           10
      1.8 Fraud and Error statistics (links only)          11
      1.9 Take-Up of income-related benefits (links only)  11
      1.10 Jobseeker's Allowance sanctions and
      disallowances                                        11
      1.11 New Deals & Employment Zones                    12
      1.12 Vacancies handled by Jobcentre Plus             13
      2. Pensioners
      2.1 Pensioner Client Group                           14
      2.2 State Pension                                    15
      2.3 Pension Credit                                   16
      3. Disabled and Carers
      3.1 Disability Living Allowance                      17
      3.2 Attendance Allowance                             18
      3.3 Carer's Allowance                                18
      3.4 Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit          19
      4. Families & Children
      4.1 Child Support Agency cases                       20
      5. Appeals Service
      5.1 Appeals Service lodgements                       21
      Annex A - New experimental figures on benefit flows
      New experimental figures on benefit flows            22
      Notes to Editors                                     25 

1. Working Age

1.1 Working Age client group

Combines data collected for Jobseeker's Allowance, Incapacity Benefit, Severe Disablement Allowance, Disability Living Allowance, Carer's Allowance, Widow's Benefit, Bereavement Benefit and Income Support for working age claimants (including Pension Credit for males aged 60 to 64)

Latest statistical data available from : http://www.dwp.gov.uk/asd/tabtool.asp

Between May 2000 and May 2005, the number of jobseekers fell from 1,060 thousand to 830 thousand, and rose to 931 thousand in May 2006. It has fallen again to 837 thousand at May 2007.

The incapacity benefits caseload increased gradually to November 2003 and has fallen in each of the last eleven quarters. Headline figures for incapacity benefits are shown in Table 1.2 and differ slightly to figures shown in Table 1.1 due to slight methodological differences.

The lone parent caseload fell from 919 thousand to 775 thousand between May 2000 and May 2006. This decrease continued in the year to May 2007, to stand at 766 thousand.

1.2 Jobseeker's Allowance

Jobseeker's Allowance (JSA) was introduced on 7 October 1996 and has both contributory and income-related elements. It is paid to people under state pension age who are available for and actively seeking work of at least forty hours per week

At May 2007, the total number of Jobseeker's Allowance claimants was 837 thousand. Female claimants represented 27% of the JSA caseload (228 thousand), while males represented 73% (609 thousand). The total caseload has fallen by 93 thousand since a year earlier.

1.3 Incapacity Benefits

Incapacity benefits consist of Incapacity Benefit (introduced on 13 April 1995 and paid to people who are incapable of work and who have paid sufficient contributions throughout their working life) and Severe Disablement Allowance (SDA).

At May 2007, there were 2.64 million working age claimants of incapacity benefits (Incapacity Benefit or Severe Disablement Allowance), a fall of 45 thousand on a year earlier. 58% of claimants were men and 42% women. Both the male and female caseloads are now falling: males by 31 thousand and females by 14 thousand in the year to May 2007.

At May 2007, 62% (1.65 million) of working age claimants were beneficiaries (i.e. were paid benefit), with the remaining 993 thousand receiving National Insurance Credits only. A further 42 thousand were claimants above State Pension Age: these were almost all recipients of Severe Disablement Allowance.

There were 141 thousand new claimants of incapacity benefits in the May 2007 quarter, which represents 5% of the May caseload.

Over the same period, 162 thousand claimants left the benefits, 6% of the caseload at February 2007.

In the year to May 2007, there were a total of 584 thousand new claims for incapacity benefits and 628 thousand claims were closed. This compares with 574 thousand new claims and 622 thousand closed claims for the year to May 2006.

Please see Annex A for more information on incapacity benefits flows since August 1999.

1.4 Income Support

Income Support (IS) was introduced on 11 April 1988 and is an income-related benefit that can be claimed by people aged 16-59 that work fewer than 16 hours a week and have insufficient income to meet their needs. Prior to the introduction of Pension Credit in October 2003, IS was available to people aged 60 and over.

At May 2007, the total number of Income Support (IS) claimants was 2.12 million. Claimants of incapacity benefits represented 56% of the IS caseload (1.18 million). Lone Parents (all single claimants with dependants excluding claimants of incapacity benefits) represented 36% of the IS caseload (766 thousand), while Carers and Others represented 8% of the caseload (167 thousand).

Pension Credit (PC) replaced Minimum Income Guarantee (MIG) in Income Support on 6 October 2003. MIG claimants have been excluded from these data.

There were 141 thousand new claimants of Income Support in the May 2007 quarter, which represents 7% of the May caseload. Over the same period, 150 thousand claimants left the benefit, 7% of the caseload at end of February 2007.

In the year to May 2007, there were a total of 587 thousand new claims for Income Support and 589 thousand claims were closed. This compares with 559 thousand new claims and 582 thousand closed claims for the year to May 2006.

Please see Annex A for more information on Income Support flows since August 1999.

1.5 Housing Benefit

Housing Benefit (HB) was introduced on 1 April 1983 and is an income-related benefit designed to help people on low incomes pay for rented accommodation whether in or out of work

At February 2007 there were 4.04 million recipients of Housing Benefit, of whom 1.52 million were aged 60 and over. The average weekly amount of Housing Benefit was £68.

72% of Housing Benefit recipients were also in receipt of Income Support, income-based Jobseeker's Allowance or Pension Credit (GC).

Figures for May 2007 are not yet available as we are changing data sources and therefore increasing quality assurance to ensure accurac

1.6 Council Tax Benefit

Council Tax Benefit (CTB) was introduced on 1 April 1993 and is an income-related benefit, calculated in a similar way to Housing Benefit, which has been designed to help people on low incomes pay their Council Tax

At February 2007 there were 5.10 million recipients of Council Tax Benefit (figure excludes second adult rebates), of whom 2.55 million were aged 60 and over. The average weekly amount of Council Tax Benefit was £14. 71% of Council Tax Benefit recipients were also in receipt of Income Support, income-based Jobseeker's Allowance or Pension Credit (GC).

Figures for May 2007 are not yet available as we are changing data sources and therefore increasing quality assurance to ensure accuracy

1.7 Widow's Benefit & Bereavement Benefit

Widow's Benefit (WB) was introduced on 6 July 1948 and is payable to women widowed between 11 April 1988 and 8 April 2001 inclusive. There are three types of WB: Widow's Payment, Widowed Mother's Allowance and Widow's Pension. Women widowed before 11 April 1988 continue to receive Widow's Benefit based on the rules that existed before that date

Bereavement Benefit (BB) was introduced on 9 April 2001 as a replacement for Widow's Benefit. It is payable to both men and women widowed on or after 9 April 2001. There are three types of BB: Bereavement Payment, Widowed Parent's Allowance and Bereavement Allowance

At May 2007, there were 97 thousand claimants of Widow's Benefit, a fall of 21 thousand on a year earlier. Of these, 81 thousand were in receipt of Widow's Pension and 16 thousand Widowed Mother's Allowance

At May 2007, there were 59 thousand claimants of Bereavement Benefit, a rise of 1 thousand on a year earlier. Of these, 20 thousand were in receipt of Bereavement Allowance and 39 thousand in receipt of Widowed Parent's Allowance

1.8 Fraud and Error statistics (link)

National Statistics are published regularly, presenting six-monthly estimates of fraud and error in claims for Income Support, Jobseeker's Allowance, Pension Credit and Housing Benefit, along with an annual estimate of the level of fraud and error in the benefit system as a whole. One-off benefit reviews have been carried out from time to time to estimate fraud and error in claims for other benefits. All these reports can be found at http://www.dwp.gov.uk/asd/asd2/fraud_error.asp.

1.9 Take-Up of Income-Related Benefits (link)

Publications contain information on the take-up of the main income-related benefits in Great Britain: Income Support, Pension Credit, Housing Benefit, Council Tax Benefit and Jobseeker's Allowance (income based). Take-up is measured in two ways. Expenditure take-up compares the total amount of benefit received in the course of a year with the total amount that would have been received if everyone took up their entitlement for the full period of entitlement. Caseload take-up compares the number of benefit claimants - averaged over the year - with the number who would be receiving if everyone took up their entitlement for the full period of entitlement. Data is sourced from the Family Resources Survey and administrative benefit records. Latest published figures are available at http://www.dwp.gov.uk/asd/irb.asp

1.10 Jobseeker's Allowance sanction and disallowance decisions

A JSA claimant can have their claim sanctioned (payment is temporarily suspended) or disallowed (entitlement ends) if they are deemed not to have just cause for failing to fulfil the conditions of their claim. Sanctions can be 'Varied length' (anything up to 26 weeks) or 'Fixed length' (2,4 or 26 weeks). Disallowances result in the claim ending.

In the quarter ending August 2007 there were 142 thousand decisions made, of which 85 thousand were adverse decisions (i.e. a sanction or disallowance was applied).

Of these, 15 thousand were varied length sanctions, 12 thousand were fixed length sanctions and 59 thousand were disallowance decisions. 60% of decisions made in this quarter resulted in an adverse decision.

NB - this summary includes data on decisions made for sanction referrals only, not opinions.

1.11 New Deals & Employment Zones

New Deal for Young People was established in 1998 aimed at people aged 18 to 24 unemployed for at least 6 months. Since then a range of other mandatory and voluntary New Deal programmes have been established aimed at specific client groups.

2.97 million people had started on a New Deal programme up to August '07.

To date, some 1.86 million people have gained a job through the New Deal programme, with over 86 thousand people also gaining a job through Employment Zones.

Statistics on ND50plus, NDDP, and NDP have been improved by incorporating additional data from the Work and Pensions Longitudinal Study. This has led to the identification of an additional 18 per cent of people gaining a job through these programmes, and the introduction for the first time of an immediate destination measure. As a result of these improvements the time series of people gaining a job through these programmes has been revised.

Data on the New Deal and Employment Zones programmes are now released via the DWP Tabulation Tool where users can construct their own bespoke statistical tables.

1.12 Vacancies handled by Jobcentre Plus

As the Public Employment Service for Great Britain, Jobcentre Plus handle a significant share of all vacancies advertised by employers, albeit that vacancies notified to Jobcentre Plus do not represent the total number of vacancies in the whole economy

On average, 337 thousand vacancies per month were notified to Jobcentre Plus between January and September of 2007. Most commonly these are for elementary occupations (24%) and sales/customer services (18%). 15% of notified vacancies are in the North West region compared to 9% in London, 5% Wales and 10% Scotland

As at September 2007, the number of unfilled vacancies available to jobseekers was 456 thousand

2. Pensioners

2.1 Pensioner client group

The Pensioner Client Group covers claimants, aged 60 and over, of at least one of the following benefits: State Pension, Pension Credit, Attendance Allowance, Widow's Benefit, Disability Living Allowance, Incapacity Benefit, and Severe Disablement Allowance. They are split into statistical groups that reflect their main reason for claiming benefit

At May 2007 there were 12.05 million claimants in the Pensioner Client Group, an increase of 206 thousand since May 2006. Of these, 21% were in receipt of Pension Credit. 47% of these Pension Credit claimants were disabled

2.2 State Pension

State Pension (SP) was introduced on 1 January 1909 and is paid to people who have reached the state pension age (65 for men, 60 for women) and who fulfil the residency and contributions conditions

At May 2007, there were 11.85 million claimants of State Pension, a rise of 205 thousand on a year earlier. Of these, 37% were male and 63% female.

The average weekly amount in payment at May 2007 was £ 91.63, a rise of £4.04 since May 2006.

2.3 Pension Credit

Pension Credit (PC) was introduced on 6 October 2003 and replaced Minimum Income Guarantee (MIG). For people aged 60 or over, the Guarantee Credit element guarantees an income at a set level. People aged 65 or over (and couples where one member is 65 or over) may also be entitled to Savings Credit if they have modest income from savings, investments or a second pension

At May 2007, there were 2.73 million claimants of Pension Credit (3.34 million including partners), a rise of 16 thousand on a year earlier. Of these, 806 thousand claimed Guarantee Credit only, 1.33 million claimed Guarantee and Savings Credit, and 598 thousand claimed Savings Credit only.

The average weekly amount of Pension Credit in payment at May 2007 was £50.04, a rise of £3.29 since May 2006.

There were 64 thousand new claimants of Pension Credit in the May 2007 quarter. Of these, 36 thousand claimed Guarantee Credit only, 12 thousand claimed both Guarantee and Savings Credit and 15 thousand claimed Savings Credit only.

Over the same period, 63 thousand claimants left the benefit.

For the year to May 2007, there were a total of 265 thousand new claims for Pension Credit, and 251 thousand claims were closed. This compares with 296 thousand new claims and 262 closed claims for the year to May 2006.

Please see Annex A for more information on Pension Credit flows since November 2003.

3. Disabled and Carers

3.1 Disability Living Allowance

Disability Living Allowance (DLA) was introduced on 1 April 1992 and is a benefit for people who have become disabled before the age of 65 and who need assistance with personal care or mobility

At May '07, 2.88 million people were receiving Disability Living Allowance (not including suspended cases), a rise of 83 thousand on a year earlier. 50% of claimants were male. Both the male and female caseloads are rising, males by 39 thousand and females by 44 thousand in the year to May '07.

At May '07,10% of recipients were children, 58% were working age and 32% were pension age (a small number are an unknown age).

3.2 Attendance Allowance

Attendance Allowance (AA) was introduced on 6 December 1971 and is a benefit for people over the age of 65 who are so severely disabled, physically or mentally, that they need a great deal of help with personal care or supervision. Those requiring constant help receive the higher rate of benefit.

At May '07 there were 1.51 million people receiving Attendance Allowance (excluding suspended cases), a rise of 42 thousand on a year earlier. Of these, 32% were male and 68% female. Both the male and female caseloads are rising, males by 19 thousand and females by 23 thousand in the year to May '07. At May '07, 66% were aged 80 or over.

3.3 Carer's Allowance

Carer's Allowance (CA) was introduced on 5 July 1976; it is paid to carers who looks after a severely disabled person for at least 35 hours a week. The severely disabled person must be getting either higher or middle rate DLA care component or AA or maximum rate Constant Attendance Allowance with their War Pension or Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit

At May '07, there were 465 thousand people receiving Carer's Allowance (not including underlying entitlement cases). 26% of claimants were male, and 74% female.

At May '07, there were a further 370 thousand people entitled to Carer's Allowance but not receiving any payment due to overlapping benefit provisions (ie underlying entitlement cases).

3.4 Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit

Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit (IIDB) was introduced on 5 July 1948 and is a benefit for people who are disabled because of an industrial accident or prescribed industrial disease. Since 1 October 1986 any claim resulting in an assessment of less than 14% disabled does not normally attract benefit

There were 334 thousand people claiming under the Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit scheme in March 2007, of whom 61% received Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit only, 21% received Reduced Earnings Allowance only, and 18% received both. The number of people claiming benefit was 1.0% lower than in March 06. The average weekly payment was £42.91

4. Families & Children

4.1 Child Support Agency cases

Launched on 5 April 1993, the Child Support Agency (CSA) is an executive agency of the Department for Work and Pensions, set up to implement the Child Support Act 1991 and operate the new child maintenance system in Great Britain (there is a separate but parallel agency for Northern Ireland). The CSA is responsible for tracing Non-resident Parents, working out how much maintenance they should pay, and can collect and enforce payments. Prior to 3 March 2003, CSA stored information on the Child Support Computer System (CSCS). Since the introduction of the new computer system (CS2) on that date, all new Child Support applications have been assessed under a new scheme on the new system. The CSA statistics presented here were released on 25 July 2007. These charts reproduce those numbers to provide a complete picture of DWP business.

At the end of September 2007, the CSA caseload stood at 1.4 million, a decrease of 3% on the same point in the previous year

At the end of September 2007, there were 162,000 uncleared applications across both schemes, a fall of 37% over the previous twelve months. The volume of uncleared new scheme applications has fallen by 10,000 since June 2007 and, at 128,000, is at its lowest since December 2003. This represents a fall of 36% since September 2006.

In the quarter ending September 2007, 62% of all cases in which maintenance was due had either received maintenance via the CSA collection service, or had a maintenance direct arrangement in place. This figure has not changed in recent months and currently equates to 498,000 cases.

5. Appeals Service