WIREDGOV

Coverage: Great Britain Theme: Social and Welfare STATISTICAL SUMMARY - SEPTEMBER 2002

CLIENT GROUP ANALYSIS Families with children: At February 2002:

- 2.5 million children for whom an additional allowance of benefit was payable (19.1 per cent of children under 16 and young adults aged 16-18 in full time education) were living in families claiming a key benefit. This number was 195,000 fewer than two years earlier.

- 63 per cent of them had been on benefit for at least two years.

Population of Working Age: At February 2002:

- Just under five million people of working age (13.9 per cent) were claiming a key benefit.

- 47 per cent of claimants were women.

Population over State Pension Age: At November 2001:

- Just over 10.4 million people over state pension age (99 per cent) were claiming a key benefit.

- 37 per cent of claimants were men.

Income Support (IS): At 24 May 2002:

- All claimants: 3.9 million (£70 per week), rose by 2,000 over the year to May 2002.

- Lone parents (excluding the disabled) represented 22 per cent of the IS caseload - 856,000 (£105 per week).

- Disabled recipients represented 27 per cent of the caseload - 1.1 million (£77 per week) and has been increasing since 1993.

- Almost two-thirds of recipients were women.

At 24 May 2002:

- The 60 years and over (Minimum Income Guarantee - MIG) caseload: 1.7 million (£50 per week), rose by 30,000 over the year to May 2002.

- The non-MIG caseload (those aged under 60): 2.2 million (£86 per week), fell by 28,000 over the year to May 2002.

Jobseeker's Allowance (JSA) (not seasonally adjusted):

At 9 May 2002:

- Total claimants: 919,000.

- Total recipients: 827,000, of whom 163,000 with only
contribution-based JSA, 665,000 with income- based JSA including (19,000 with underlying entitlement to contribution-based benefit).

- Average weekly entitlement: £61 income- based, £52 contribution- based.

- Almost a quarter of claimants were women.

Incapacity Benefit (IB): At 31 May 2002:

- Total claimants: 2.4 million.

- Total recipients: 1.5 million.

- Average amount: £84 per week.

- Almost two-thirds of recipients were men.

Attendance Allowance (AA):

At 28 February 2002:

- Total recipients: 1.3 million of which 615,000 received the higher rate and 677,000 the lower rate.

- Average amount: £46 per week.

- 71 per cent of recipients were women.

NB: Prior to the fourth quarter of 1995, Attendance Allowance caseload figures were collected annually and thereafter quarterly.

Housing Benefit (HB):

At 9 May 2002:

- Total recipients: 3.8 million.

- Average weekly amount: £55

- Total recipients (aged over 60): 1.7 million (at May 2001).

- Total recipients (with children): 1.2 million (at May 2001).

- 69 per cent of HB recipients were also in receipt of IS or JSA (income based).

Disability Living Allowance (DLA):

At 28 February 2002:

- Total recipients: 2.3 million.

- Average amount: £54 per week.

- 567,000 received only the mobility component, 305,000 received only the care component and 1.5 million received both mobility and care components

- 49 per cent of recipients were women.

Council Tax Benefit (CTB):

At 9 May 2002:

- Total recipients: 4.6 million (excludes second adult rebates).

- Average weekly amount: £11

- Total recipients (aged over 60): 2.4 million (at May 2001).

- Total recipients (with children): 1.2 million (at May 2001).

- 68 per cent of CTB recipients were also in receipt of IS or JSA (income based).

Child Benefit (ChB):

At 31 May 2002:

- Total children: 12.7 million in 7.1 million families.

- It is estimated that 95 per cent of Child Benefit recipients were female.

State Pension (SP):

At 31 March 2002:

- Total recipients: 11.1 million, of which 0.9 million reside overseas.

- Average amount of entitlement to State Pension:
All pensioners: £73 per week.
Men: £88 per week.
Women: £64 per week.

- 63 per cent of recipients were women.

Child Support Agency (CSA):

At 31 May 2002:

- Total 'live' and fully assessed cases: one million. For fully assessed cases:

- Average assessed maintenance for employees was £39 per week; for the self employed it was £23 per week.

- For those using the CSA collection service, 48.9 per cent were fully compliant, 26.2 per cent were partially compliant and 24.9 per cent were nil compliant.

- 94 per cent of parents with care were female.

The Appeals Service (TAS):

Quarter ending March 2002:

- Number of new lodgements: 61,900.

- Total number of appeals cleared at hearings: 48,300. Of these, 21,200 (44 per cent) were found in favour of the appellant.

- 51.5 per cent of appeals heard at oral hearings were found in the appellant's favour.

- 23.2 per cent of appeals heard at paper hearings were found in the appellant's favour.

New Deal for Young People (NDYP):

By end June 2002:

- 827,000 starts on New Deal for Young People by the end of June 2002; 739,000 had left, leaving 88,000 participants at the end of June 2002.

- Of the leavers, 40 per cent had entered sustained unsubsidised jobs, 11 per cent had transferred to other benefits, 20 per cent had left for other known reasons, and 29 per cent for unknown reasons.

Young People into Employment:

By end March 2002:

- 380,000 young people in jobs to the end of June 2002, of which 299,000 were sustained jobs and 81,000 were jobs lasting less than 13 weeks.

New Deal for Lone Parents (NDLP):

All figures relate to the period from October 1998 when NDLP was fully implemented nationally, to the end of June 2002:

- Starts on the NDLP caseload reached 372,000 at the end of June 2002, an increase of 30,000 on March 2002.

- A total of 254,000 lone parents had left NDLP by end of June 2002.

- 118,000 lone parents were participating on NDLP at end of June 2002.

- 426,000 lone parents had attended an initial interview by the end of June 2002 - 38,000 more than at the end of March 2002.

Lone Parents into Employment:

All figures relate to the period from October 1998 when NDLP was fully implemented nationally, to the end of June 2002:

- 172,000 jobs gained by participants on New Deal for Lone Parents.

New Deal for Long Term Unemployed People aged 25 plus:

By end of June 2002:

- 497,000 starts on New Deal 25 plus by the end of June 2002 - 435,000 had left, leaving 54,000 participating at the end of June 2002.

Long Term Unemployed People aged 25 plus into Employment:

By end of June 2002:

- 112,000 people on New Deal into jobs to the end of June 2002, of which 92,000 were sustained jobs, and 20,000 were jobs lasting less than 13 weeks.

Employment Zones:

(from July 2001, figures include people returning to Employment Zones for a second time)

By the end of June 2002:

- 65,900 people started on an Employment Zone between April 2000 when the Zones started and June 2002. 84 per cent of entrants were male, 71 per cent were white, and 19 per cent were recorded as having a disability.

- On 30 June 2002, there were 24,900 people participating on an Employment Zone, of whom 6,500 were returning for a second time.

Employment Zone Participants into Employment:

By end of June, 2002:

- 25,700 Employment Zone participants entered employment by June 2002, of which 1,600 were participants returning to a Zone for a second time.

- 18,700 Employment Zone participants had been employed for 13 weeks or more by the end of June 2002.

NOTES TO EDITORS

1. The purpose of the DWP Statistical Summary is to provide an up-to-date overview of the most important benefits, schemes, agencies and associated bodies administered by the DWP in a concise format. Users seeking more detailed information are directed to the contact point on the front page. Financial year benefit expenditure information is available in the Department for Work and Pensions Departmental Report - The Government's Expenditure Plans 2002/03 - 2003/04 and main estimate 2001/02. The average weekly amounts and caseloads in this summary are derived from administrative data which has been validated, cleaned and published by DWP. Many of these statistics are calculated from samples drawn at particular points in time and are therefore subject to some sampling variability. The figures have not been seasonally adjusted. Average amounts are rounded to the nearest pound.

2. A brief description of the analyses included in this publication

(a) Client Group Analysis (Families with children) combines data collected for Jobseeker's Allowance, Income Support, Disability Living Allowance, Incapacity Benefit and Severe Disablement Allowance on children / young adult dependants for whom additional benefit is payable.

(b) Client Group Analysis (Working Age) combines data collected for Jobseeker's Allowance, Incapacity Benefit, Severe Disablement Allowance, Disability Living Allowance and Income Support.

(c) Client Group Analysis (Over State Pension Age) combines data for Attendance Allowance, Disability Living Allowance, Incapacity Benefit, Income Support, State Pension and Severe Disablement Allowance.

(d) Income Support (IS) was introduced on 11 April 1988 and is an income-related benefit that can be claimed by people normally aged 18 or over that work less than 16 hours a week and have insufficient income to meet their needs. Additional help is available for partners and children of claimants

(e) Incapacity Benefit (IB) was introduced on 13 April 1995 and is paid to people who are incapable of work and who have paid sufficient contributions throughout their working life.

(f) Jobseeker's Allowance (JSA) was introduced on 7 October 1996 and is a contributory or income related benefit paid to people under state pension age who are available for and actively seeking work of at least 40 hours per week. They agree with Jobcentre Plus any restrictions on their availability for work and the steps they intend to take in order to find work. Additional help is available for partners and children of claimants.

(g) 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.

(h) 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. This assistance could be required during the day or at night. Those requiring constant help receive the higher rate of benefit.

(i) 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.

(j) 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.

(k) Child Benefit (ChB) was introduced on 5 April 1977 and is a benefit paid for all children up to the age of 16 (or 19 if in full time education up to A-level or equivalent standard). A higher rate of child benefit is payable for the first child. Certain lone parents with reserved rights may remain eligible for Child Benefit (Lone Parent).

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

(n) Child Support Agency (CSA) was introduced on 5 April 1993 and is responsible for tracing Non- Resident Parents (NRPs) and working out how much maintenance they should pay. The CSA can collect and enforce maintenance assessments.

(p) The Appeals Service (TAS). The Independent Tribunal Service was introduced in 1984 to provide an independent appeals system. It was replaced by the Appeals Service in April 2000.

(q) New Deal for Young People (NDYP) for those aged 18-24 who have been claiming JSA continuously for six months, they become eligible for New Deal when they reach the six-month threshold. Those joining New Deal first enter a Gateway period lasting up to four months, during which Jobcentre Plus and their partners will work with them to improve their employability and to find unsubsidised jobs for as many as possible.

(r) New Deal for Long-Term Unemployed aged 25 plus for those aged 25 plus who have been claiming JSA continuously for two years. They become eligible for New Deal when they reach the two-year threshold. Those joining New Deal first enter an Advisory Process lasting between three to six months with an average of seven interviews during which Jobcentre Plus and their partners will work with them to improve their employability, and to find unsubsidised jobs for as many as possible. From April 2001, those aged 25+ who have been claiming JSA continuously for 18 months become eligible for New Deal when they reach the 18-month threshold. Those joining New Deal first enter a flexible Gateway period lasting up to four months where provision and level of help will be tailored to the needs of the individual.

(s) New Deal for Lone Parents (NDLP) is available to all lone parents on Income Support on a voluntary basis, but originally only those lone parents with a youngest child of school age (five years and three months) were sent an invitation letter explaining what the service could offer. Following the initial adviser interview, lone parents may either agree or decline to join the NDLP caseload. Whilst on the caseload participants will receive a package of support and guidance to help them into jobs.

(t) Employment Zones pool funds for training, Jobcentre Plus support and the equivalent of benefit to maximise flexibility and give individuals more say in the choices which affect them. The aim is to get people into jobs and keep them in work. Employment Zones were set up in April 2000 in areas of persistently high unemployment. They are a mandatory programme for participants receiving Income-Based Jobseeker's Allowance who have been unemployed for 12 or 18 months (depending on the zone). From July 2001, Zone participants who had been unsuccessful in obtaining a job after 26 weeks of active job-search in Step 2 of the programme, are re-mandated to Zones after a further 13 week period of claiming Income-Based Jobseeker's Allowance.

Issued by:
Information Centre
Analytical Services Directorate
Department for Work and Pensions

Telephone :
Public Enquiries : 020 7712 2171

Website :
www.dwp.gov.uk

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

Next Publication: 9th January 2003