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Jobseeker's Allowance

Volume 461: debated on Wednesday 20 June 2007

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many and what percentage of new deal claimants returned to jobseeker’s allowance (a) between six months and 12 months and (b) after 12 months after leaving the programme in each year since 1998. (140588)

The available information is in the following table.

New deal, returners to jobseeker’s allowance (JSA)

Returned to JSA between six and 12 months from date of leaving new deal

Returned to JSA more than 12 months from date of leaving new deal

Number of leavers

Number

Percentage

Number

Percentage

1998

94,900

17,700

19

41,210

43

1999

323,160

68,920

21

132,320

41

2000

337,790

73,860

22

134,300

40

2001

296,500

66,270

22

111,110

37

2002

280,370

63,780

23

96,330

34

2003

290,370

65,300

22

90,970

31

2004

275,190

63,640

23

66,230

24

2005

253,240

54,040

21

24,670

10

Notes

1. Information is based on all leavers from all new deal programmes who were claiming JSA when they started the programme.

2. The number and percentage of people returning to JSA more than 12 months after leaving new deal is based on latest available JSA data to November 2006. As more up-to-date JSA data becomes available, numbers are likely to rise.

3. If a person has two separate JSA periods, one between six and 12 months after leaving new deal, and one more than 12 months after leaving new deal, only the JSA period between six and 12 months is included in the table.

4. Latest complete year data is for 2005.

Source:

Information Directorate, DWP.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions pursuant to the answer of 11 June 2007, Official Report, column 809W, (1) on jobseeker’s allowance, what proportion of jobseeker’s allowance claims were processed in (a) one to 21 working days and (b) more than 22 working days in (i) each of the last five years and (ii) each of the last 24 months; (143133)

(2) on incapacity benefit, what proportion of incapacity benefit claims were processed in (a) one to 21 working days, (b) more than 22 working days, (c) more than 41 working days and (d) one to 40 working days in (i) each of the last five years and (ii) each of the last 24 months.

[holding answers 15 June 2007]: The administration of Jobcentre Plus is a matter for the Chief Executive of Jobcentre Plus, Lesley Strathie. I have asked her to provide the hon. Member with the information requested.

Letter from Mel Groves, dated 19 June 2007:

The Secretary of State has asked me to reply to your questions about the proportion of Jobseeker’s Allowance claims processed in one to 21 working days and more than 22 working days in each of the last five years and each of the last 24 months, and the proportion of Incapacity Benefit claims processed in one to 21 working days, more than 22 working days, more than 41 working days and one to 40 working days in each of the last five years and each of the last 24 months. This is something which falls within the responsibilities delegated to Lesley Strathie as Chief Executive of Jobcentre Plus. I am replying on her behalf as Acting Chief Executive.

The information is not available in the format requested. The information that is available is contained in the following tables.

Jobseeker’s allowance, percentage of claims processed from April 2006 to May2007

Percentage of jobseeker’s allowance claims processed in:

One to 21 days

22 days and over

2006

April

81.2

18.8

May

79.9

20.1

June

81.0

19.0

July

82.9

17.1

August

80.6

19.4

September

82.1

17.9

October

83.0

17.0

November

84.3

15.7

December

86.7

13.3

2007

January

87.6

12.4

February

86.6

13.4

March

87.6

12.4

April

88.7

11.3

May

88.2

11.8

Incapacity benefit, percentage of claims processed from April 2006 to May 2007

Percentage of incapacity benefit claims processed in:

One to 10 days

11 days and over

One to 40 days

41 days and over

2006

April

51.0

49.0

91.3

8.7

May

49.1

50.9

90.9

9.1

June

48.1

51.9

91.0

9.0

July

51.3

48.7

91.3

8.7

August

52.2

47.8

91.5

8.5

September

51.9

48.1

92.8

7.2

October

54.9

45.1

92.6

7.4

November

56.3

43.7

92.8

7.2

December

58.7

41.3

93.6

6.4

2007

January

54.1

45.9

91.8

8.2

February

59.4

40.6

92.3

7.7

March

61.6

38.4

93.3

6.7

April

60.6

39.4

92.9

7.1

May

59.9

40.1

93.1

6.9

We cannot identify the proportion of Incapacity Benefit claims processed in one to 21 working days or in more than 22 working days. In addition, we cannot identify the proportion of Jobseeker’s Allowance or Incapacity Benefit claims processed in specific time bands for any period before April 2006.