Metadata

The information in this dataset refers to numbers of Working Age Benefit Claimants and is derived from a 100% data source; the Work and Pensions Longitudinal Study (WPLS). The dataset provides benefit claimants categorised by their statistical group (their main reason for interacting with the benefit system). Claimants may be claiming more than one benefit and are therefore categorised according to a benefit hierarchy.

Benefits are arranged hierarchically and claimants are assigned to the highest statistical group that they belong to. Thus a person who claims Income Support as a Lone Parent and also receives Incapacity Benefit would be classified into ‘incapacity benefits’ group.

The main advantage of this dataset is that the double counting of claimants of multiple benefits has been removed so that users will get a more accurate picture of benefit claiming and worklessness at a small area level.

Each claimant can only be assigned to one of eight statistical groups, in the following priority order:
1. Job Seekers: Jobseekers’ Allowance claimants.
2. Incapacity Benefits: Incapacity Benefit or Severe Disablement Allowance claimants.
3. Lone Parent: Income Support claimants with a child under 16 and no partner.
4. Carer: Carers Allowance claimants.
5. Others on Income Related Benefit: Other Income Support (including IS Disability premium) or Pension Credit claimants under State Pension age.
6. Disabled: Disability Living Allowance.
7. Bereaved: Widow’s Benefit, Bereavement Benefit or Industrial Death Benefit claimants.
8. Unknown: Disability Living Allowance data are not available until May 2002. Prior to this, claimants who would have appeared in the disabled category or below are classed as unknown.