WIREDGOV

Coverage: Great Britain Theme: Social and Welfare

The 31st annual edition of Work and Pensions 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 focussing 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 2003, 2.5 million dependant children (those aged under 16 and 16-18 in full time education for whom an additional amount of benefit is payable) were living in families claiming a key benefit. This represents 19 per cent of all children and young adults in Great Britain. This number of children in families claiming a key benefit was down 26 thousand (1.0 per cent) from last year. The numbers in families classed as Unemployed fell by 6 thousand (2.8 per cent) over this period, Lone Parents fell by 19 thousand (1.2 per cent) and the number of children in the Sick/Disabled category increased by 2 thousand (0.3 per cent).

- At May 2003, 4.95 million people of working age were claiming a key benefit, up 27 thousand (0.6 per cent) from a year previously. This represents 13.9 per cent of the population of working age (16- 59/64). The number of unemployed claimants rose by 3 thousand (0.3 per cent) between May 2002 and May 2003, while lone parents and others fell by 10 thousand (1.2 per cent) and 6 thousand (3.0 per cent) respectively. The number of claimants who were sick/disabled increased by 41 thousand (1.4 per cent).

- In May 2003, approximately 10.5 million people (99 percent of people over state pension age and resident in Great Britain), claimed at least one of the key DWP benefits. The number of people over state pension age receiving one of the key DWP benefits increased by 84 thousand (0.8 per cent) since May 2002. In the year to May 2003, the sick and/or disabled statistical group has increased by 65 thousand (2.6 per cent); the non-disabled MIG statistical group increased 20 thousand (2.8 per cent); and the State Pension only statistical group has decreased by 1 thousand (less than 0.1 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 appendixes include details of other statistical publication issued by the Department and a list of research reports issued in the last year.

For paper copies of this publication (ISBN: 1 84388 230 2, £15) contact:

Steve Topping
Department for Work and Pensions
Room BP5 2 01
Benton Park View
Benton Park Road
Longbenton
NEWCASTLE UPON TYNE
NE98 1YX

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

Notes to editors: '#' is equivalent to pounds.

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:
Stuart Grant
Information Centre
Information and Analysis Directorate
Department for Work and Pensions
Room BP 5 2 01
Benton Park View
Benton Park Road
Longbenton
NEWCASTLE UPON TYNE
NE98 1YX