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157W
Written Answers
26 OCTOBER 2009
Written Answers
158W
Headcount 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009
Total 1,721 1,393 1,185 875 664
1
The Pensions Disability and Carers Service was formed in 2008 by the merger of The Pension Service and the Disability and Carers Service.
For consistency the figures have been combined for earlier years also.
2
The Child Support Agency transferred to the Child Maintenance and Enforcement Commission on 1 November 2008. Figures shown are on
the basis of headcount i.e. the number of individual staff employed.
The increase in the Corporate and Shared Services area between 2008 and 2009 and reductions in Jobcentre Plus and Pensions, Disability and
Carers Service are largely the result of a transfer of staff from delivery businesses as part of a restructuring of the Information Technology
function.
Housing Benefit
Grant Shapps: To ask the Secretary of State for Work
and Pensions how many housing benefit claimants
there were in each year since 1997. [295094]
Helen Goodman: The available information is in the
following tables.
Number of housing benefit recipients in Great Britain : May 1997 to
May 2007
Number
1997 4,639,350
1998 4,474,700
1999 4,313,100
2000 4,033,300
2001 3,874,400
2002 3,812,630
2003 3,796,420
2004 3,879,420
2005 3,956,820
2006 3,990,030
2007 4,031,810
Notes:
1. The data refers to benefit units, which may be a single person or a
couple.
2. The figures have been rounded to the nearest 10.
3. Figures for any non-responding authorities have been estimated.
4. Housing benefit figures exclude any extended payment cases
Source:
Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit Management Information
System Quarterly 100 per cent. taken in May 1997 to May 2007
Number of housing benefit recipients in Great Britain November 2008
and May 2009
Number
2008 4,168,610
2009 4,403,980
Notes:
1. The data refers to benefit units, which may be a single person or a
couple.
2. The figures have been rounded to the nearest 10.
3. Figures for any non-responding authorities have been estimated.
4. Housing benefit figures exclude any extended payment cases.
Source:
Single Housing Benefit Extract (SHBE) for November 2008 and May
2009 taken from Table 2 of publication at:
http://research.dwp.gov.uk/asd/asd1/hb_ctb/HBCTB19082009.xls
Incapacity Benefit
Mr. Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for Work
and Pensions how many and what proportion of
completed work capability assessments have involved
former claimants of incapacity benefit; and if she will
make a statement. [294742]
Jonathan Shaw [holding answer 21 October 2009]:
National level statistics on the Work Capability Assessment
covering Great Britain were published on 13 October
2009 and are available via the Office for National Statistics
Publication Hub. A copy of the publication has been
placed in the Library and can be accessed directly on
the following website:
http://research.dwp.gov.uk/asd/workingage/esa_wca.asp
Full benefit information for completed Work Capability
Assessments is not available as some assessments cannot
yet be linked to an Employment and Support Allowance
claim. The volume and percentage of all Employment
and Support Allowance new claims from October 2008
to February 2009 that have completed the Work Capability
Assessment with an incapacity benefit claim in the
previous two years are provided in the following table.
Number and percentage of employment and support allowance new
claims from October 2008 to February 2009 completing the work
capability assessment with an incapacity benefit claim in the two years
prior to the employment and support allowance claim
Number
Percentage
Total 20,400 —
Percentage — 20
Notes:
1. This data is based on recorded advice from ATOS, rather than the
Decision Maker’s final determination. The final outcomes of cases
may change. This will be further compounded by reconsiderations
following additional medical evidence and the outcomes of appeals.
Full guidance on the national figures is included in the published
statistics referred to in the table.
2. Figures are rounded to the nearest 100.
Incapacity Benefit
Mr. Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for Work
and Pensions how many and what proportion of
people (a) in total, (b) aged 18 to 24, (c) aged 25 to 49
and (d) aged 50 years and over who made a new claim
for (i) incapacity benefit and (ii) employment and
support allowance in the most recent year for which
figures are available in (A) Pathways to Work Jobcentre
Plus-led areas and (B) Pathways to Work-led areas
were in work (1) six months and (2) one year later.
[291007]
Jim Knight [holding answer 14 September 2009]: The
information requested is not available.
Incapacity Benefit: Mentally Ill
Mr. Dai Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for
Work and Pensions what assessment has been made of
the likely impact on the mental health of people in
receipt of incapacity benefit due to mental health
problems of proposals to change eligibility for
incapacity benefit. [293887]
Jonathan Shaw: Several steps have been taken to
mitigate any stress caused to those with mental health
conditions upon entering the claim process for employment
and support allowance.