Statistical Releases
Release – March 2010
The latest national statistics on Housing Benefit / Council Tax Benefit caseload were released on 17th March 2010.
This monthly release also contains latest experimental statistics on early estimates for the working age income support lone parent client group (ISLP) and employment and support allowance and incapacity benefit client group (ESA/IB).
The key points are from the latest monthly release:
- At December 2009, the total number of people claiming Housing Benefit was 4.61 million, with 5.64 million claiming Council Tax Benefit.
- The working age income support lone parent client group early estimate caseload figure at 31st January 2010 is 695 thousand. The latest National Statistics figure for this client group stands at 716 thousand in August 2009.
- The early estimate of the working age ESA/incapacity benefits client group at 31st January 2010 is 2.61 million. The latest National Statistics figure for this client group stands at 2.63 million in August 2009.
The latest quarterly national statistics on benefit claimants, employment programmes, labour market decisions and vacancies produced by the Department for Work and Pensions were released on 17th February 2010 according to the arrangements approved by the UK Statistics Authority
The DWP Statistical Summary aims to give users a structured overview of these National Statistics published by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP). The latest release updates the statistics previously released on 11th November 2009.
These key points are from the latest quarterly release:
- There were 5.9 million working age benefit claimants at August 2009. This is an increase of 663 thousand in the year to August 2009.
- There were around 374 thousand claiming Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) at August 2009.
- There were 2.63 million ‘ESA and incapacity benefits’ claimants at August 2009.
- There were 716 thousand lone parents claiming Income Support at August 2009.
- At August 2009, there were 2.74 million claimants of Pension Credit (3.35 million including partners).
This Statistical Summary will be publishing a number of revisions to previously released numbers. All these changes have been pre-announced on the DWP website. The changes are:
- It will no longer be possible to subset employment programme tables by Jobcentre Plus district or by ethnic group. However, row or column breakdowns of these will still be possible.
- Reinstatement of Attendance Allowance tables broken down by disabling condition.
- Corrections of tables showing “Immediate destination” of those leaving New Deals. These tables now correctly classify those leaving to claim Employment and Support Allowance.
- Corrections of numbers gaining a job through New Deal 50+. This problem affects numbers from 2005 onwards where monthly jobs gained were overstated.
- Reinstatement of Tabulation Tools showing participants in New Deal for Lone Parents.
- Corrections of the May 2009 Government Office Region and Local Authority breakdowns within the lesser used source for Incapacity Benefit and Severe Disablement Allowance.
To access the latest release in full click here 
To access the latest quarterly release click here
More information on Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit caseload statistics is available here
More information on early estimate statistics is available here
Additional tables and further information on these statistics can be found here
More information on children in out-of-work benefit households statistics is available here
To access previous Statistical Summaries, click here
Coverage: Great Britain
Geographic Breakdown:
- Great Britain in the Statistical Summary in addition to:
- HB/CTB: Local Authority for monthly HB/CTB caseload data
- Quarterly benefit claimants, employment programmes, labour market decisions: Local Authority and Parliamentary Constituency for most data via the tabulation tool, and small areas for some benefits.
Next Release Date for Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit and early estimates for working age inactive benefit client groups: 21st April 2010
Next Release Date for benefit claimants, employment programmes and labour market decisions: 12th May 2010