DWP Quarterly Statistical Summary
9 Nov 2006 11:15 AM
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 has fallen by 54
thousand to 2.69 million in the year to May '06.
* The lone parent caseload fell from 871 thousand to 789 thousand
between May '02 and May '05. This decrease continued in the year to
May '06 when the caseload stood at 775 thousand.
* The number of jobseekers decreased steadily between May '02 and May
'05 - from 906 thousand to 830 thousand - but rose to 931 thousand at
May '06.
* Over 2.64 million people had started on a New Deal programme up to
August '06. To date, some 1.67 million people have gained a job
through the New Deal programme, with a further 71 thousand people
gaining a job through Employment Zones.
* At May '06 there were 11.85 million claimants in the Pensioner
Client Group, an increase of 87 thousand since May '05. Of these, 21%
were in receipt of Pension Credit.
* At May '06, there were 11.64 million claimants of State Pension, a
rise of 85 thousand on a year earlier. Of these, 38% were male and
62% female.
* At May '06, there were 2.72 million claimants of Pension Credit
(3.32 million including partners), a rise of 35 thousand on a year
earlier. Of these, 776 thousand claimed Guarantee Credit only, 1.34
million claimed Guarantee and Savings Credit, and 599 thousand
claimed Savings Credit only.
* At the end of September '06, the total CSA caseload stood at 1.4
million cases, of which 41% were new scheme cases.
* At May '06 there were 2.80 million recipients of Disability Living
Allowance and 454 thousand recipients of Carer's Allowance. The
number receiving Attendance Allowance is currently unavailable; the
number claiming the benefit was 1.65 million.
Contents
1. Working Age
page
1.1 Working age Client Group 3
Individual Benefits
1.2 Jobseeker's Allowance 5
1.3 Incapacity Benefits 5
1.4 Income Support 7
1.5 Housing Benefit 8
1.6 Council Tax Benefit
1.7 Widow's Benefit & Bereavement Benefit 9
1.8 Fraud and Error statistics (links only) 9
1.9 Take-Up of income-related benefits (links only) 9
1.10 Jobseeker's Allowance sanctions and disallowances 10
1.12 New Deals & Employment Zones 11
1.13 Vacancies handled by Jobcentre Plus 12
2. Pensioners
2.1 Pensioner Client Group 13
2.2 State Pension 14
2.3 Pension Credit 15
3. Disabled and Carers
3.1 Disability Living Allowance 16
3.2 Attendance Allowance 16
3.3 Carer's Allowance 17
3.4 Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit 18
4. Families & Children
4.1 Child Support Agency cases 18
5. Appeals Service
5.1 Appeals Service lodgements 20
Notes to Editors 21
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
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
Latest statistical data available from :
http://www.dwp.gov.uk/asd/tabtool.asp
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).
Latest statistical data available from:
http://www.dwp.gov.uk/asd/tabtool.asp
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.
Latest statistical data available from:
http://www.dwp.gov.uk/asd/tabtool.asp
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
Latest statistical data available from :
http://www.dwp.gov.uk/asd/hbctb.asp
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
Latest statistical data available from
http://www.dwp.gov.uk/asd/hbctb.asp
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
Latest statistical data available from :
http://www.dwp.gov.uk/asd/tabtool.asp
1.8 Fraud and Error statistics (links)
Separate National Statistics releases are published regularly
presenting estimates of fraud and error in claims for Income Support,
Jobseeker's Allowance, Pension Credit (available at
www.dwp.gov.uk/asd/asd2/fraud.asp) and Housing Benefit (available at
www.dwp.gov.uk/asd/asd2/fraud_hb/fraud_hb.asp). One-off benefit
reviews are carried out from time to time to estimate fraud and error
in claims for other benefits. The last such review to be published
was a pilot exercise covering State Pension (available at
www.dwp.gov.uk/asd/asd2/spnbr.asp). Estimates of fraud and error
covering 2005/6 onwards will be published in combined reports
covering all benefits for which fraud and error is measured.
1.9 Take-Up of Income-Related Benefits (links)
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 relate to
financial year 2004/2005 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
Latest statistical data available from:
http://www.dwp.gov.uk/asd/sanctions.asp
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.
Latest statistical data available from:
http://www.dwp.gov.uk/asd/asd1/tabtools/tabtool_nd.asp
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
Latest statistical data available from
http://www.dwp.gov.uk/asd/vacancies.asp
2. Pensioners
2.1 Pensioner client group
The Pensioner Client Group covers claimants, over state pension age,
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
Latest statistical data available from:
http://www.dwp.gov.uk/asd/tabtool.asp
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
Latest statistical data available from:
http://www.dwp.gov.uk/asd/tabtool.asp
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
Latest statistical data available from:
http://www.dwp.gov.uk/asd/tabtool.asp
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
Latest statistical data available from:
http://www.dwp.gov.uk/asd/tabtool.asp
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
Latest statistical data available from:
http://www.dwp.gov.uk/asd/tabtool.asp
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
Latest statistical data available from:
http://www.dwp.gov.uk/asd/tabtool.asp
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
Latest statistical data available from:
http://www.dwp.gov.uk/asd/iidb.asp
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 latest edition of the CSA Quarterly Summary of
Statistics contains a number of revisions to historical figures
published in earlier editions. For further details see the Notes to
Editors. The CSA statistics presented here were released on 24
October 2006. These charts reproduce those numbers to provide a
complete picture of DWP business.
Latest statistical data available from
http://www.dwp.gov.uk/asd/csa.asp
5. Appeals Service
5.1 Appeals Service lodgements
The Independent Tribunal Service was introduced in 1984 to provide an
independent appeals system. It was replaced by the Appeals Service in
April 2000. From 1st April 2006 the Appeals Service became part of
the Department for Constitutional Affairs but for operational reasons
the DWP is continuing to produce statistics on their behalf.
(Note: All figures are subject to change as more up to date data
becomes available on the Generic Appeals System (GAPS). We cannot
provide any data from the new system (G2) until some time after the
conversion process has been completed.
Latest statistical data available from
http://www.dwp.gov.uk/asd/qat.asp
NOTES TO EDITORS
1. 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
2. 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. For key
benefit statistics and New Deal statistics derived from 100% sources,
an internet-based Tabulation Tool is 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% sample data, is also available. 5% sample data on key
benefits continue to be available via NOMIS
http://www.nomisweb.co.uk/. Whenever possible, 100% data should be
used in preference to 5% estimates, as these are both more accurate
and form DWP's headline statistics.
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
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. Revisions to previous releases
This edition of the CSA Quarterly Summary of Statistics contains a
number of revisions to historical figures published in earlier
editions. There are two reasons for these revisions:
* Further improvements to the data source from which statistics
relating to new and old scheme cases on the new computer system are
derived. Over the last 18 months, DWP analysts have been working with
the CSA to improve the quality and breadth of available management
information, which have resulted in considerable improvements to the
scope and content of the Quarterly Summary of Statistics. The latest
phase of such improvements, all of which are subject to rigorous
quality checks of a National Statistics standard, have resulted in
the following changes to previously published data:
- A significant reduction, of around 50,000 in the volume of
"uncleared applications". This is because the improved data source
better identifies uncleared potential applications received via
Jobcentre Plus. We were expecting this change, and the potential for
future revision was noted on the relevant tables in the last issue of
the QSS.
- Greater coherence between the tables - of which tables 1 - 15 and
tables 23 - 27 are now all produced from the same data source.
- Reduction in the overall caseload across both schemes - we can now
exclude cases that have been cancelled or withdrawn and are awaiting
closure.
- A reduction in old scheme Interim Maintenance Assessment (IMA)
cases. We have excluded around 15 thousand IMAs that have in fact
been closed.
* A change to methodology in that Old Scheme Interim Maintenance
Assessments are now, for the first time, included in all the relevant
tables for consistency with current CSA target definitions, and to
provide a fuller picture of performance across the whole caseload.
Since compliance is lower on these cases, performance against the
relevant indicators is lower by a few percentage points.
5. Introduction of ethnicity data for JSA claimants
In a development to the existing published data for Jobseeker's
Allowance claimants, ethnicity information will be included in
Tabulation Tool from this quarter onwards.
The addition of this information has been made possible through
linking the Labour Market System and the JSA payment system, which
means that we now know the ethnic origin of 96% of the JSA caseload
(of which 8% preferred not to state their ethnic origin).
Two new ethnicity variables (one summary, one detailed) have been
added to the Tabulation Tool, based on the categorisation used for
the ONS Census 2001.
6. 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.
Family Resources Survey (annual) - provides information on the
incomes and circumstances of private households in the United
Kingdom: http://www.dwp.gov.uk/asd/frs/
Households Below Average Income (annual) - provides information on
potential living standards as determined by disposable income,
changes in income patterns over time and income mobility:
http://www.dwp.gov.uk/asd/hbai.asp
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
Neighbourhood Statistics - Quarterly ward and Lower Super Outputs
Area caseloads for Income Support, Jobseeker's Allowance, Incapacity
Benefits, Disability Living Allowance, Pension Credit and State
Pension are available from
http://193.115.152.21/NESS/page1.htm
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
7. 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
18
ISSN : 1462-9798
23
ISSN : 1462-9798
IFD091106SSNOV06
Coverage: Great Britain (unless otherwise stated)
Theme: Social and Welfare
Issued by:
Information Directorate
Department for Work and Pensions
Telephone:
Public Enquiries: 0207 712 2171
Website: www.dwp.gov.uk
Statistician:
Martin McGill
Information Directorate
Department for Work and Pensions
BP 5201
Benton Park View
Benton Park Road
Longbenton
NEWCASTLE UPON TYNE
NE98 1YX
Email: martin.mcgill@dwp.gsi.gov.uk
Next Publication: February 2006