HC Deb 25 June 1992 vol 210 cc311-3W
Mr. Flynn

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what proportion of unemployment benefit claims were disqualified under section 20(1) of the Social Security Act 1975 in each quarter since 1980; and what proportion of disqualified claimants were receiving supplementary benefit and income support in each half-yearly survey of unemployed claimants over the same period.

Mr. Burt

The information requested is in the tables.

Table 1
Percentage of claims to unemployment benefit disqualified by adjudication officers 1980–91
Quarter Percentage disqualified by adjudication officer
1980
Q1 23
Q2 16
Q3 17
Q4 21
1981
Q1 20
Q2 19
Q3 15
Q4 19
1982
Q1 19
Q2 18
Q3 16
Q4 21
1983
Q1 21
Q2 19
Q3 16
Q4 21
1984
Q1 22
Q2 19
Q3 14
Q4 19
1985
Q1 23
Q2 19
Q3 14
Q4 22
1986
Q1 21
Q2 20
Q3 17
Q4 25
Quarter Percentage disqualified by adjudication officer
1987
H1 23
H2 22
1988
H1 24
H2 19
1989
Q1 21
Q2 21
Q3 15
Q4 15
1990
Q1 19
Q2 21
Q3 16
Q4 19
1991
Q1 18
Q2 23
Q3 18
Q4 23

Source: Departmental statistics.

Sample: 100 per cent.

Notes: 1. Numbers of disqualifications are based on—quarter years derived from three calendar months, while numbers of claims are derived from whole weeks.

2.In any particular quarter year a number of the disqualifications could relate to a claim made in a previous quarter.

3. For the duration of 1987 and 1988 statistics were produced half yearly rather than quarterly.

Table 2
Percentage of disqualified claimants in receipt of Supplementary Allowance/Income Support 1980–91
Percentage in receipt of Supplementary Allowance/ Income Support
May 1980 46.0
November 1980 50.1
May 1981
November 1981
February 1982 41.2
May 1982 43.5
November 1982 44.7
May 1983 62.4
November 1983 61.1
May 1984
November 1984 65.0
May 1985 61.8
November 1985 60.8
May 1986 61.4
November 1986 58.6
May 1987 67.3
November 1987 67.9
May 1988 69.6
November 1988 71.0
May 1989 76.8
November 1989 77.0
May 1990 79.4
November 1990 77.6
Percentage in receipt of Supplementary Allowance/Income Support
May 1991 79.6
November 1991 78.0

Source: Half Yearly Analysis of Unemployed Claimant. Sample size: 5 per cent.

Notes:

1. The numbers of disqualified claimants used in this calculation include a small number of disallowed claims. The available statistics do not provide separate figures for these claims.

2. Figures for May 1981 and November 1981, and May 1984 are not available due to industrial action. Figures are available for February 1982, however, and these have been given above.

3. Income Support replaced Supplementary Allowance from April 1988.