HL Deb 06 October 2003 vol 653 cc11-3WA
Lord Oakeshott of Seagrove Bay

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What were the numbers and percentages of people of working age receiving incapacity benefits in each of the past 10 years in each of the standard regions and nations of the United Kingdom. [HL4597]

The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Work and Pensions (Baroness Hollis of Heigham)

The information is in the tables.

Sickness/invalidity benefit working age recipients at 2 April 1994 and percentage of working age population by standard statistical region
Recipients Percentage of population
Great Britain 1,505,000 4.4
England 1,143,000 3.9
Wales 155,000 9.0

Incapacity Benefit working age recipients at dates shown and percentage of working age population by Government Office Region
Recipients Per cent of Population Recipients Per cent of Population Recipients Per cent of Population
31 May 1995 31 May 1996 31 May 1997
Great Britain 1,551,300 4.5 1,555,900 4.5 1,552,300 4.5
England 1,189,800 4.0 1,199,800 4.1 1,202,000 4.1
Wales 154,600 9.0 150,800 8.8 147,400 8.6
Scotland 206,900 6.6 205,300 6.5 203,000 6.4
Regions of England:
North East 124,000 7.9 120,500 7.7 118.200 7.6
NorthWest 284,500 6.9 279,700 6.8 276,100 6.8
Yorkshire and Humber 148,000 4.9 150,100 5.0 148,900 5.0
East Midlands 95,400 3.8 99,400 4.0 99,500 3.9
West Midlands 137,300 4.3 138,000 4.3 138,600 4.3
East 82,300 2.6 86,200 2.7 88,200 2.7
Greater London 128,400 2.9 129,700 3.0 129,700 2.9
South East 107,300 2.3 110,100 2.3 113,200 2.4
SouthWest 82,600 2.9 86,200 3.0 89,700 3.1
31 May 1998 31 May 1999 31 May 2000
Great Britain 1,531,100 4.4 1,501,600 4.3 1,490.000 4.3
England 1,189,800 4.0 1,168,300 3.9 1,158,600 3.9
Wales 143,600 8.4 140,600 8.2 138,900 8.0
Scotland 197,700 6.3 192,700 6.1 192,500 6.1
Regions of England:
North East 115,400 7.5 113,100 7.4 111,500 7.3
NorthWest 270,200 6.6 261,600 6.4 256,300 6.3
Yorkshire and Humber 145,700 4.9 142,100 4.7 139,300 4.6
East Midlands 101,600 4.0 102,900 4.1 103,500 4.1
West Midlands 138,300 4.3 136,800 4.3 138,700 4.4
East 87,100 2.7 86,300 2.7 86,500 2.6
Greater London 128,200 2.9 123,500 2.7 120,400 2.6
South East 112,700 2.3 110,000 2.3 110,400 2.3
South West 90,500 3.1 92,000 3.2 92,000 3.1
31 May 2001 31 May 2002 31 May 2003
Great Britain 1,507,700 4.3 1,504,900 4.3 1,495,200 4.3
England 1,175,700 3.9 1,177,400 3.9 1,174,200 3.9
Wales 139,600 8.1 137,500 7.9 135,300 7.8
Scotland 192,400 6.1 190,000 6.0 185,800 5.9
Regions of England:
North East 111,900 7.3 112,200 7.3 109,800 7.2
NorthWest 257,600 6.3 254,400 6.2 250,400 6.1
Yorkshire and Humber 143,000 4.7 140,300 4.6 139,200 4.6

Sickness/invalidity benefit working age recipients at 2 April 1994 and percentage of working age population by standard statistical region
Recipients Percentage of population
Scotland 207,000 6.6
Regions of England:
Northern 136,000 7.3
Yorkshire & Humber 138,000 4.6
East Midlands 88,000 3.5
East Anglia 35,000 2.8
Greater London 118,000 2.7
South East 155,000 2.3
South West 78,000 2.8
West Midlands 130,000 4.1
North Western 267,000 7.0

Source:

IAD Information Centre, 1 per cent.

ONS mid 1994 population figures.

Notes:

1 Numbers rounded to the nearest thousand. Percentages are rounded to one decimal place.

2 Incapacity Benefit (IB) replaced Sickness and Invalidity Benefits (S/IV) from 13 April 1995. Before this date only the Standard Statistical Regions of England are available.

Incapacity Benefit working age recipients at dates shown and percentage of working age population by Government Office Region
Recipients Per cent of Population Recipients Per cent of Population Recipients Per cent of Population
East Midlands 106,500 4.2 107,600 4.2 107,700 4.2
West Midlands 140,900 4.4 143,700 4.5 143,500 4.5
East 89,300 2.7 91,600 2.8 92,300 2.8
Greater London 119,700 2.5 117,200 2.5 117,000 2.5
South East 112,500 2.3 114,100 2.3 116,500 2.4
South West 94,500 3.2 96,300 3.3 97,800 3.3

Source:

IAD Information Centre, 5 per cent samples.

ONS mid year population figures for appropriate year up to 2001, mid 2001 figures used for each subsequent year.

Notes:

1.Numbers rounded to the nearest hundred. Percentages are rounded to one decimal place.

2.Working age is defined as men aged 16–64 and women aged 16–59.

3.Percentage of population is based on caseloads as a percentage of the working age population in each year shown. Figures for 2002 and 2003 are based on mid year 2001 estimates of the population, which are currently the Latest available, mid 2002 estimates are released on Friday 26 September.

4.Information by GOR is not available for 1994, hence figures for Standard Statistical Region have been shown for that year.