§ Mr. BattleTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many people claimed unemployment benefit only; and what number and proportion of them had been on unemployment benefit alone for six months or more in each year since 1979.
§ Mr. Peter LloydThe available figures relate to the numbers in receipt of unemployment benefit only in November each year rather than to the number of claims.
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Number of persons receiving unemployment benefit only Number receiving unemployment benefit only Total For 6 months or more For 6 months or more as a percentage of total November 1979 386,619 78,369 20.3 November 1980 778,606 158,679 20.4 February 1982 837,230 238,650 28.5 November 1982 713,731 230,536 32.3
Number receiving unemployment benefit only Total For 6 months or more For 6 months or more as a percentage of total November 1983 684,037 227,617 33.3 November 1984 699,489 228,555 32.7 November 1985 679,005 219,994 32.4 November 1986 741,684 252,871 34.1 November 1987 548,765 189,441 34.5 Notes:
- 1. Figures are based on a 5 per cent. sample of cases taken on the second Thursday in November.
- 2. No figures are available for November 1981 owing to industrial action; information was, however, collected in February 1982.