To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many people received invalidity benefit in the last year it operated; and how many people received incapacity benefit in each of the years since it was introduced. [66631]
Incapacity Benefit replaced Sickness Benefit and Invalidity Benefit on 13 April 1995. The short-term higher and long-term rates of Incapacity Benefit are equivalent to Invalidity Benefit. The available information is set out in the table.
| Number of recipients of Invalidity Benefit/short-term higher and long-term Incapacity Benefit at the end of the statistical year | |
| Year | Number |
| 1994–95 | 1,766,900 |
| 1995–96 | 1,692,400 |
| 1996–97 | 1,632,060 |
| 1997–98 | 1,561,740 |
Note:
The 1994–95 statistical year ended 12 April 1995. From 1995–96 onwards the end of the statistical year is the last day in February.
Source:
DSS—Invalidity Benefit—1 per cent. sample of all claimants
DSS—Incapacity Benefit—5 per cent. computer sample, excludes a small number of cases not on the system