4 August 2004 - Publication of DWP in-house research report: Destination of Benefit Leavers
A two-part research report outlining key information from a survey of individuals who had left a working age benefit between February and April 2003 was published today. This survey was commissioned by the Department for Work and Pensions and is part of the Work and Pensions Longitudinal Study, which focuses on improving information on the destinations of working age benefit leavers and monitoring the number of claimants flowing off benefits and into work.
A second destinations survey will be carried out during the summer of 2004 and will provide comparative information. Findings from this repeat survey will be published in early 2005. From 2004-5 we will administratively collect destination information for Income Support and Incapacity Benefit leavers, in similar ways to that currently collected for Jobseeker’s Allowance leavers.
The main findings from this report are as follows:
National
- Findings show that overall 61 per cent of leavers from Income Support, Incapacity Benefit and Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA) collectively flow into work of 16 hours or more (a total off flow of 494 thousand claimants between February and April 2003).
- 12 per cent (97 thousand) of Income Support, Incapacity Benefit and JSA leavers moved onto another working age benefit.
- 7 per cent (57 thousand) nationally left benefit to enter full time education/training, the majority of which were JSA leavers (52 thousand).
Lone parents
- 54 per cent of lone parents who left Income Support entered/returned to work of 16 hours or more (an off flow of 30 thousand claimants in total).
- Of the lone parents who left Income Support, the proportion who entered work of 16 hours or more was similar for lone parents that had been claiming for less than 13 weeks or over two years (52 per cent and 54 per cent respectively).
- 11 per cent (6 thousand) of lone parents who left Income Support moved onto another benefit for the working age, which in 66 per cent of cases was JSA.
- 21 per cent (12 thousand) of lone parents who left Income Support did so due to partner changes. Of this figure, 16 per cent (9 thousand) started living with a partner.
Sick and disabled
- 47 per cent of those leaving sick/disabled benefits (Incapacity Benefit and Income Support with a disability premium) entered/returned to work of 16 hours or more (an off flow of 56 thousand claimants in total).
- Of this group, people who leave benefit after two years are less likely to go into work than those who leave within 13 weeks on benefit (32 per cent and 55 per cent respectively).
- Of those leaving Incapacity Benefit, 49 per cent (54 thousand) flowed into work of 16 hours or more.
- Only 26 per cent (2 thousand) of those leaving Income Support with a disability premium left to enter/return to work of 16 hours or more.
- 21 per cent (26 thousand) of those leaving sick/disabled benefits moved onto another benefit for the working age, which in 71 per cent of cases was JSA.
- 11 per cent (13 thousand) of those leaving sick/disabled benefits left because they were no longer eligible to claim or their benefit had been stopped. 5 per cent (6 thousand) of sick/disabled leavers retired.
JSA unknown destinations
- 45 per cent of those leaving JSA with an unknown destination entered/started work of 16 hours or more (an off flow of 78 thousand claimants in total). This figure can be compared to the proportion of JSA known destination leavers that moved into work of 16 hours or more, which was 70 per cent (325 thousand) between February and April 2003.
- 9 per cent (16 thousand) of JSA unknown leavers moved onto another benefit for the working age, which in 34 per cent of cases was Income Support.
- 12 per cent (21 thousand) of those leaving JSA with an unknown destination left because they were no longer eligible to claim or their benefit had been stopped. 8 per cent (14 thousand) left JSA to have a temporary break in their claim.
Notes for editors
- ‘Destination of Benefit Leavers’: Volume 1 – ‘Destination of Benefit Leavers’ by Nick Coleman, Joanne Wapshott and Hannah Carpenter of BMRB Social Research; Volume 2 – ‘Destination of Benefit Leavers – Population Estimates’ by Joanne Bowling, IAD - Information Centre, DWP.
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