WIREDGOV

Coverage: Great Britain (unless otherwise stated) Theme: Social and Welfare

Introduction

An improved version of DWP's Statistical Summary is being published for the first time today. It 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.

The enhanced Statistical Summary is one strand of the modernisation of DWP statistics. The key elements of which are:-

* key benefit statistics are now sourced from 100 per cent administrative data (replacing the 5 per cent sample data for headline figures) with improvements in coverage and accuracy particularly for local areas;

* through linking to newly available data from Her Majesty's Revenue & Customs on employment starts, improvements have been made to New Deal statistics;

* a new hierarchy of Statistical Group classifications has been adopted;

* a new Internet Tabulation Tool is available allowing users to view and query a wide range of DWP statistics.

The move to 100 per cent data for key benefits has meant some changes to headline figures. Further details on the magnitude of these revisions and why they have occurred are given in an earlier National Statistics paper (see Notes to Editors). More information on the reasons for revisions for each benefit in provided as part of the Tabulation Tool in the "Useful Resources" section.

The availability of the Tabulation Tool has meant that the Client Group Analyses Bulletins and Excel based tables have been discontinued. Summary information on the Working Age and Pension Age Client Groups is shown in this release with links to the Tabulation Tool.

Key Findings

* Over the 8 years to May '05, the caseload for working age incapacity benefits has risen by 3.7 per cent to 2.74 million. The working age incapacity benefits caseload has fallen by 41 thousand in the year to May '05 (see section 1.3)

* Whilst the trend over time in working-age incapacity benefits is unchanged from the statistics based on 5 per cent data, the caseload has been revised upwards by 125 thousand reflecting an improvement in accuracy

* The number of Job Seekers has decreased steadily. Between May '00 and May '04 the caseload fell by 251 thousand from 1.07 million to 820 thousand. This figure rose very slightly to 845 thousand at May '05

* Lone parent caseloads fell by 97 thousand between May '00 and May '04, falling from 918 thousand to 821 thousand. This decrease continued in the year to May '05, to stand at 787 thousand

* At May '05, there were 11.74 million claimants in the Pensioner Client Group, an increase of 121 thousand since May '04. Of these, 67 per cent were in receipt of State Pension only, 20 per cent on income-related benefits, 11 per cent were disabled, 2 per cent were carers and less than 1 per cent were in receipt of incapacity benefits or in the bereaved group

* At May '05, there were 11.53 million claimants of State Pension, a rise of 116 thousand on a year earlier. Of these, 38 per cent were male and 62 per cent female

* There were 2.68 million claimants (3.26 million including partners) of Pension Credit at May '05, a rise of 190 thousand on a year earlier. Of these, 767 thousand were claiming Guarantee Credit only, 592 thousand were claiming Savings Credit only, and 1.32 million were claiming both

* A total of 2.38 million people have started on a New Deal programme up to August '05. Of the 2.31 million people who had started New Deal up to May '05, some 1.47 million of these people had gained a job up to May '05

* At the end of September 2005, the total CSA caseload stood at 1.45 million cases, of which 35 per cent were new scheme cases

Notes to Editors

1. Full version of DWP's Statistical Summary is available at: http://www.dwp.gov.uk/mediacentre

2. Modernisation of DWP statistics

The National Statistics paper "DWP statistics transformed: the modernisation of the DWP's data sources and statistical publications" announced major changes to the National Statistics it publishes, both in the data sources employed and the methods of dissemination. The paper is available from
http://www.dwp.gov.uk/asd/asd1/stats_consultation/modstats.pdf

3. Links to Internet based statistical tables

For each statistic in this publication, access to more detailed statistics are available by clicking on the web links. From 27th October and for key benefit statistics derived from 100 per cent sources, a new internet based Tabulation Tool will be available with the ability for users to define their own statistical queries (available from http://www.dwp.gov.uk/asd/tabtool.asp). A similar Tabulation Tool, derived from 5 per cent sample data, will also become available on this date. 5 per cent sample data on key benefits continue to be available via NOMIS http://www.nomisweb.co.uk/

Some statistics remain outside the scope of the Tabulation Tool but will continue to be available via the internet as pre-defined summary tables.

3. Statistical Groups

The DWP has introduced a new typology to define Statistical Groups within the client group classifications. The aim of the Statistical Group typology is to present each person by the main reasons they are in contact with the Department. Like the client group classification, each client is classified just once, permitting the estimation of the total number of people claiming one or more benefits. The Statistical Group hierarchy is a] Jobseeker b] Incapacity benefits c] Lone parents d] Carers e] Other income related benefits f] Disabled g] Bereaved h] Housing benefit i] receiving State Pension only. More information can be found in the National Statistics paper described in paragraph 1 above.

4. Other National Statistics issued by the Department for Work and Pensions

Abstract of Statistics for Benefits and Contributions and Indices of Prices and Earnings (annual) - provides a reference source for those people interested in the main aspects of benefits, contributions and indices of prices and earnings. Latest published figures: http://www.dwp.gov.uk/asd/other_stats.asp

Appeal Tribunal Statistics (quarterly) - provides statistics on appeals and decisions. Latest published figures:
http://www.dwp.gov.uk/asd/qat.asp

Child Support Agency Quarterly Summary of Statistics - provides statistics on the Child Support Agency. Latest published figures: http://www.dwp.gov.uk/asd/csa.asp

Contributions and Qualifying Years for Retirement Pension (annual) - provides statistics on the number of people who have qualified for State Pension.

Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit Annual Summary of Statistics - provides statistics on Housing Benefit /Council Tax Benefit from a 1 per cent sample of data from Local Authorities. Latest published figures: http://www.dwp.gov.uk/asd/hbctb.asp

Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit Quarterly Summary of Statistics - provides statistics on Housing Benefit /Council Tax Benefit from quarterly caseload counts. Includes average amounts of benefit. Latest published figures:
http://www.dwp.gov.uk/asd/hbctb.asp

Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit Quarterly Performance Statistics - provides high level statistics on Local Authority processing of Housing Benefit / Council Tax Benefit from quarterly administrative returns. Includes speed of processing new claims and charges of circumstances. Latest published figures:
http://www.dwp.gov.uk/asd/asd1/hb_ctb/performance.asp

Housing Benefit Quarterly Fraud Performance Statistics - provides high level statistics on Local Authority fraud performance from quarterly administrative returns. Includes numbers of referrals, investigations actioned and sanctions administered. Latest published figures: http://www.dwp.gov.uk/asd/asd1/hb_ctb/performance.asp

Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit and Reduced Earnings Allowance Statistics (annual) - provides statistics on current assessments and movements during statistical period.

Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit Quarterly Summary of Statistics - provides statistics on people in receipt of Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit, new claims and newly diagnosed prescribed diseases. Latest published figures:
http://www.dwp.gov.uk/asd/iidb.asp

National Insurance numbers allocated to overseas nationals (Previously migrant workers statistics - annual) provides statistics on migrant workers. Latest published figures:
http://www.dwp.gov.uk/asd/asd1/niall/nino_allocation.asp

Pensioner Income Series (annual) - examines the levels, sources and distribution of pensioners' incomes and the position of pensioners within the population income distribution. Latest published figures: http://www.dwp.gov.uk/asd/asd6/pensioners_income.asp

Second Tier Pension Provision (annual) - contains analysis of contracted out pension schemes. Latest published figures: http://www.dwp.gov.uk/asd/asd1/dsu/second_tier/second_tier.asp

Tax/Benefit Model Tables (annual) - designed to illustrate the weekly financial circumstances of a selection of hypothetical local authority and private tenants. Latest published figures: http://www.dwp.gov.uk/asd/tbmt.asp

Work and Pension Statistics (annual) - a summary of all Department for Work and Pensions' National Statistics, covers all benefits and schemes. Also includes take up of benefits and appeals. Latest published figures: http://www.dwp.gov.uk/asd/wandp.asp

5. Other statistical outputs issued by the Department for Work and Pensions

Benefit Expenditure Tables - financial year historic information on benefit expenditure and caseloads, along with forecasts are available from http://www.dwp.gov.uk/asd/asd4/expenditure.asp

Neighbourhood Statistics - local authority and ward (and Lower Super Outputs Areas from 2004) caseloads for Income Support, Jobseeker's Allowance, Incapacity Benefit, Severe Disablement Allowance, Attendance Allowance, Disability Living Allowance, Pension Credit and State Pension are available from
http://www.neighbourhood.statistics.gov.uk/home.asp (1998 - 2000); and http://www.dwp.gov.uk/asd/asd1/neighbourhood/neighbourhood.asp (2001-2004);

Issued by:
Information Directorate
Department for Work and Pensions

Telephone:
Public Enquiries: 0207 712 2171

Website:
www.dwp.gov.uk

Statistician:
Stuart Grant
Information Directorate
Department for Work and Pensions
BP 5201
Benton Park View
Benton Park Road
Longbenton
NEWCASTLE UPON TYNE
NE98 1YX

Next Publication: January 2006