WIREDGOV

The 32nd edition of the annual Work and Pension Statistics, formerly known as Social Security Statistics, is published today.

The publication gives a detailed view of the caseload and payments of state benefits. It gives time series where possible and guides the user through any changes in benefit rules and procedures where these may affect the figures. This gives valuable insight into the extent of benefit claiming in the country.

This publication begins by focusing on the three major client groups - Children and Families, Working Age, and Pensioners. Each of these client group sections shows information in terms of "clients" rather than simply benefits so that people claiming more than one benefit are not counted twice.

Main Findings

* At May 2004, 2.73 million children (those aged under 16, or aged 16-18 in full-time education for whom an additional amount of benefit is payable) were living in families claiming a key benefit; this represented 21 per cent of all children and young adults in full-time education in Great Britain. The introduction of Child Tax Credit in April 2003 allowed the addition of information on over 300 thousand children but has made some year-on-year comparisons problematic. However, the number of children in lone parent families on a key benefit was down 74 thousand (4.8 per cent) from a year earlier, while the number in families on income-related benefits fell by 111 thousand (4.7 per cent).

* At May 2004, 4.86 million people of working age were claiming a key benefit, down 95 thousand (1.9 per cent) on a year earlier. This represented 13.7 per cent of the working age population. The fall was mainly due to the drop of 86 thousand (9.7 per cent) in the number of unemployed claimants, while lone parents fell by 38 thousand (4.6 per cent). The number of claimants who were sick and/or disabled increased by 25 thousand (0.8 per cent).

* In May 2004, 10.6 million people over state pension age claimed at least one of the key DWP benefits, 99 thousand (0.9 per cent) higher than a year earlier. In the year to May 2004, the sick and/or disabled group increased by 80 thousand (3.1 per cent). However, the biggest change was in the number claiming Pension Credit, which replaced MIG in October 2003; as a result, the non-disabled MIG/Pension Credit group increased by 461 thousand (64.5 per cent) and the State Pension-only group decreased by 443 thousand (6.1 per cent).

Work and Pension Statistics continues by examining selected labour market statistics and then statistics relating to all the key DWP schemes, benefits and agencies. For example, chapters are included on the following topics:

* Benefit Expenditure;
* New Deals;
* Employment Zones;
* Pensioners' Incomes;
* the Pensioner Household Database;
* Neighbourhood Statistics;
* Individual benefit statistics such as Jobseeker's Allowance, Incapacity Benefit, Carer's Allowance, Income Support, Housing Benefit, Council Tax Benefit, Disability Living Allowance, State Pension, Attendance Allowance;
* Child Support Agency;
* Take-Up of Income-Related Benefits;
* Social Fund;
* The Appeals Service;
* Low Income Statistics;
* Payment Modernisation;
* Health and Safety Executive.

Finally, the appendices include details of other statistical publications issued by the Department and a list of research reports issued in the last year.

For paper copies of this publication (ISBN 1-84388-347-3, 15) contact:

Steve Topping
Department for Work and Pensions
Room 157A
Benton Park View
Benton Park Road
Longbenton
NEWCASTLE UPON TYNE
NE98 1YX

Telephone: 0191 225 7336
Fax: 0191 225 3193
email: steve.topping@dwp.gsi.gov.uk

The full publication is also available for free download on the internet at: http://www.dwp.gov.uk/asd/wandp.asp

Coverage: Great Britain
Theme: Social and Welfare

Issued by:
Information Centre
Information and Analysis Directorate
Department for Work and Pensions

Telephone:
Public Enquiries: 020 7712 2171

Website : www.dwp.gov.uk

Statistician:
Martin McGill
Information Centre
Information and Analysis Directorate
Department for Work and Pensions
Room 157A
Benton Park View
Benton Park Road
Longbenton
NEWCASTLE UPON TYNE
NE98 1YX

email: martin.mcgill@dwp.gsi.gov.uk

Next Publication: Under review