§ Mr. HealdTo ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (1) how many claimants have been in receipt of incapacity benefit payment for(a) six months or less, (b) between six months and one year, (c) between one and two years and (d) between two and five years; what the average period of payment is for current claimants of incapacity benefit and what the comparable averages were in each year since 1997; how many people received incapacity benefit in each year since 1997; and how many of these represented new claims; [85978]
(2) how many new claimants of incapacity benefit in the last six months represented (a) transfers from other social security benefits, (b) people moving from employment onto benefit and (c) people moving onto benefit from unknown origins; [85979]
1010Wdue, because of (i) income from employment, (ii) other income, (iii) rent restrictions, (iv) non-dependent deductions and (v) other reasons, broken down by (A) local authority (B) housing association, and (C) private sector tenure. [84360]
§ Malcolm WicksInformation on the number of Housing Benefit recipients whose benefit is currently reduced because of rent restrictions is not collected. However, based on the number of referrals made to the Rent Service, we estimate that in around 67 per cent. of cases, tenants in the deregulated private rented sector would have their rent restricted under the reference rent schemes or other property-based criteria if their Housing Benefit claims were successful.
The table shows the total number of Housing Benefit recipients by tenure type and the number and proportions of these who receive an amount less than their eligible rent, at May 2001. The eligible rent is the amount of rent which may be met by Housing Benefit after ineligible charges have been deducted and, in the case of tenants in the deregulated private rented sector, after any restrictions have been applied by the rent officer.
(3) how many people leaving incapacity benefit in the last six months represented (a) transfers to other social security benefits, (b) people moving from benefit into employment and (c) people moving off benefit to unknown destinations. [85980]
(4) what percentage of the working age population is in receipt of incapacity benefit; and what the comparable averages were in each year since 1997; [85981]
(5) how many claimants of incapacity benefit in the last six months had been in receipt of either (a) jobseeker's allowance and (b) income support at any time during the previous 12 months. [85982]
§ Mr. Nicholas Brown[holding answer 9 December 2002]: The Green Paper "Pathways to Works: Helping People into Employment" (Cm 5690) sets out our strategy for enabling people with health problems and disabilities to move into work, and so become and remain independent. At the heart of this strategy is 1011W tailored and intensive support delivered in a new Choices Package, giving help to those with the clear potential to get back into work. These measures will be piloted from October 2003.
The available information is set out in the tables.
Number of people in Great Britain receiving Incapacity Benefit (IB) at 31 May 2002, by the duration of their IB claim Duration of IB claim Number Under six months 132,400 Six months to one year 95,800 One to two years 168,100 Two to five years 352,900 Notes:
1. Figures are rounded to the nearest hundred.
2. The figures include a small number of cases where the customer is resident overseas.
Average claim duration for Incapacity Benefit (IB) recipients
Source:
Figures are taken from a 5 per cent sample of the benefit computer system and exclude a small number of cases held clerically.
Average duration (weeks) 31 March 1997 292 31 March 1998 302 31 March 1999 315 31 March 2000 326 31 March 2001 328 Notes:
1. Average duration has been rounded to the nearest week.
2. Average durations include all Incapacity Benefit recipients at a point in time, including those who leave benefit within a year.
Source:
Figures are taken from 1 per cent samples of cases.
Number of people receiving Incapacity Benefit (IB) in Great Britain at some time within the dates shown, and how many of these were new awards within that year Year Numbers receiving IB at some time in the previous year Numbers receiving IB at the dates shown Numbers of non-linking1 awards within the periods shown 01/04/96 to 31/03/97 2,362,000 1,798,000 488,000 01/04/97 to 31/03/98 2,287,000 1,729,000 456,000 1/04/98 to 31/03/99 2,125,000 1,615,000 379,000 01/04/99 to 31/03/00 1,995,000 1,514,000 364,000 01/04/00 to 31/03/01 1,979,000 1,573,000 388,000 Notes:
1. Unlike Invalidity Benefit which it replaced on 13 April 1995 long term rate Incapacity Benefit is not payable to people over state pension age. This change contributed to the reduction in the numbers receiving Incapacity Benefit between 1995 and 2000. People who had reached pension age before 13 April and were in receipt of Incapacity Benefit were able to get Incapacity Benefit for up to five years beyond pension age.
2. "Non-linking" awards refer to periods of IB which do not link with a previous claim to IB, although they may link with statutory sick pay.
3. The figures include a small number of cases where the customer is resident overseas.
4. Numbers are rounded to the nearest thousand.
5. Some people may be counted more than once if they have two awards within the year that do not link with each other.
Source:
Figures are taken from 1 per cent samples of cases.
1012W
New awards or claims of Incapacity Benefit (IB) by benefit status at a point in time up to six months before the start of the IB spell 1/12/01 to 31/5/02 No benefit or tax credit 160,300 Social security benefits with or without tax credit 126,300 Tax credit only 13,000 Notes:
1. Figures are rounded to the nearest hundred.
3. It is not possible to determine exactly how many of those moving from no benefits/tax credits were in employment.
Source:
Figures taken from 5 per cent samples of the Incapacity Benefit, and Client Group Working Age data sets, for the periods shown above.
Destinations of people leaving Incapacity Benefit 1/9/01 to 28/2/02 To basic State Pension / Are within 3 months of state pension age 21,500 To another benefit within three months2 81,900 To Working Families Tax Credit/Disabled Persons Tax Credit within three months3 6,200 Unknown, including employment 252,700 Total 362,300 Notes:
1. Figures are rounded to the nearest hundred.
2. Based on cases moving to Income Support, Jobseeker's Allowance, Severe Disablement Allowance within three months of the termination of their claim to Incapacity Benefit.
3. Figures are based on cases moving to Working Families Tax Credit, or Disabled Persons Tax Credit.
Source:
Figures are based on 5 per cent. samples of DWP Information Centre administrative data.
IB recipients as a percentage of working age population 31 May 2001 4.3 31 May 2002 4.3 Notes:
1. Figures include a small number of cases where the customer is resident overseas.
2. Population data are from the Office for National Statistics mid-2001 population estimates.
3. Following the 2001 Census, revised population data for years prior to 2001 are not yet available but are due to be released in February 2003.
Source:
Figures are from 5 per cent samples of the benefit computer system, which excludes a small number of cases held clerically.
Number of Incapacity Benefit (IB) awards starting in the period 1 December 2001 to 31 May 2002 where the recipient had been in receipt of Jobseeker's Allowance (JSA) or Income Support (IS) at some time in the previous year Both IS and JSA 26,100 IS only 37,400 JSA only 79,900 Notes:
1. Not all of these shown in the table will have moved directly from JSA or IS to IB, some will have worked in between claims.
2. Figures are rounded to the nearest hundred.
3. Includes a small number of cases where the customer is resident overseas.
4. Excludes a small number of short duration Income Support claims.
Source:
Figures are taken from merges between 5 per cent. samples of the IS, JSA and IB benefit computer systems.
1013W
§ Mr. FlightTo ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what his policy is on paying incapacity benefit for fixed terms; and if he will make a statement. [86662]
§ Mr. Nicholas BrownWe have no plans to introduce fixed term awards of Incapacity Benefit. Entitlement is based, in the first instance, on an individual's contribution record and is determined thereafter by the Personal Capability Assessment, which is a functional test carried out periodically to assess an individual's ability to perform a range of every-day work-related activities.
We believe that people moving onto Incapacity Benefits should be regarded not as people at the end of their working lives, but people with working futures. Our Green Paper, "Pathways to Work: Helping people into employment" (Cm5690) sets out our strategy for enabling people on Incapacity Benefits to move into work, and so become and remain independent. From late October 2003, we will offer in pilot areas: early, more frequent support from skilled personal advisers; direct access to a range of comprehensive specialist programmes; and clear financial incentives to work.
§ Mr. WillettsTo ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate has been made of the proportion of incapacity benefit claimants who are also eligible for income support; and how many people in this category receive income support. [86733]
§ Mr. Nicholas BrownThe Department has made no estimate of the proportion of people claiming incapacity benefit who would be eligible for income support. However, in May 2002, there were 1,026,500 people claiming incapacity benefit and also receiving income support.
Notes:
1. Figure is rounded to the nearest hundred and is subject to a degree of sampling variation.
2. Figure includes cases where people are claiming incapacity benefit, but receiving national insurance credits only.
Source:
Figure is based on merged five per cent. samples of Incapacity Benefit and Severe Disablement Allowance Quarterly Summary Statistics, May 2002, and the Income Support Quarterly Statistical Enquiry, May 2002.