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Jobseeker's Allowance and Incapacity Benefit

Volume 456: debated on Monday 29 January 2007

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what proportion of people who made a new claim for jobseeker's allowance in the most recent year for which figures are available were in work (a) six months and (b) one year later; and how many there were (i) in total, (ii) aged 25 to 49 and (iii) aged over 50 years. (114622)

The available information is in the table and represents the minimum numbers and proportions of people who satisfy the given criteria.

New claims for jobseeker's allowance, April 2004 to March 2005

Proportion (Percentage)

Total

Aged 25-49

Aged 50 and over

In work six months later

39

672,650

331,960

99,150

In work one year later

43

740,130

366,520

107,540

Notes: 1. Data on employment are available to the 26 of November 2006. As such, the latest operational year of new claimants for which (a) and (c) are answerable is April 2004 to March 2005, and the latest operational year of claims reaching their first anniversary for which (b) and (d) are answerable is April 2003 to March 2004 (and thus relates to people making a new claim during April 2002 and March 2003). 2. The figures quoted in this response come from data in the National Benefits Database and the Work and Pensions Longitudinal Study (WPLS). 3. Figures in this response are based upon periods of employment measured from the WPLS, which is based on data from Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs (HMRC). The figures given can be taken as a minimum only for the following (not necessarily comprehensive) reasons: (i) Some records show that a person started or ended employment at some point in the year, but the exact date on when they started or left their job is unknown, and therefore we do not know if they were employed at the points in time specified in this query. (ii) If a person's earnings are sufficiently low that they fall below the lower income tax threshold and so are not required to pay PAYE income tax on their earnings then there is no requirement to inform HMRC of their employment (although some employers declare these jobs anyway). (iii) These data do not include the self-employed. (iv) Poor quality personal data may lead to missed matches with benefits data. (v) No “HMRC sensitive and secure” information is supplied by HMRC (for example, HMRC employees, members of the security services).

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what proportion of people who left (a) jobseeker's allowance and (b) incapacity benefit in the most recent year for which figures are available made a subsequent claim for the benefit within a year (i) in total, (ii) aged 16 to 24, (iii) aged 25 to 49 and (iv) aged 50 years to state pension age. (114628)

The information is in the following tables.

Percentage of people who left jobseeker's allowance between 1 June 2004 and 31 May 2005, and re-claimed jobseeker's allowance within a year

Age at start of re-claim

Percentage

All

47.1

16 to 24

53.4

25 to 49

45.3

50 to state pension age

37.5

Percentage of people who left incapacity benefit/severe disablement allowance between 1 June 2004 and 31 May 2005, and re-claimed incapacity benefit/severe disablement allowance within a Year

Age at start of re-claim

Percentage

All

18.0

16 to 24

22.4

25 to 49

22.6

50 to state pension age

11.4

Notes:

1. Percentages are shown to one decimal place

2. Figures for the latest quarter do not include any late notifications and are subject to major changes in future quarters.

Source:

DWP Information Directorate 5 per cent. sample and 5 per cent. termination dataset.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what proportion of people who left jobseeker's allowance in the most recent year for which figures are available claimed incapacity benefit within a year (a) in total, (b) aged 16 to 24, (c) aged 25 to 49 and (d) aged 50 years to state pension age. (114629)

The information is in the following table.

Percentage of people who left jobseeker's allowance between 1 June 2004 and 31 May 2005, and claimed incapacity benefit/severe disablement within a year

Age

Percentage

All

12.5

16 to 24

10.1

25 to 49

13.4

50 to state pension age

15.6

Notes:

1. Percentages are shown to one decimal place

2. Figures for the latest quarter do not include any late notifications and are subject to major changes in future quarters.

Source:

DWP Information Directorate 5 per cent. sample and 5 per cent. terminations dataset.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what proportion of people who left incapacity benefit in the most recent year for which figures are available claimed jobseeker's allowance within a year (a) in total, (b) aged 16 to 24, (c) aged 25 to 49 and (d) aged 50 years to state pension age. (114630)

The information is in the following table:

Percentage of people who left incapacity benefit/severe disablement allowance between 1 June 2004 and 31 May 2005, and claimed jobseeker's allowance within a year

Age at start of jobseeker's allowance claim

Percentage

All

23.5

16 to 24

41.3

25 to 49

30.0

50 to state pension age

10.6

Notes:

1. Percentages are shown to one decimal place

2. Figures for the latest quarter do not include any late notifications and are subject to major changes in future quarters.

Source:

DWP Information Directorate 5 per cent. sample and 5 per cent. terminations dataset.