Asked by: Damian Hinds (Conservative - East Hampshire)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if she will make an assessment of the principal reasons for which the average age of labour market exit has changed in the period since (a) 2019 and (b) the earliest year for which data is readily available.
Answered by Victoria Prentis - Attorney General
The average age of exit from the labour market was published within the ‘Economic labour market status of individuals aged 50 and over, trends over time’ Official Statistics, published on 8th September 2022, with latest data relating to 2022.
The changes in the average age of exit between 2019 and 2021 – which saw the average age of exit fall from 65.3 years to 65.1 years for men and from 64.3 years to 64.0 years for women, reflect challenges in the labour market amongst older workers during the pandemic period, which saw the employment rate falling for the 50–64 year-olds age group and the inactivity rate increasing.
Between 2021 and 2022, the average age of exit has increased for both men (from 65.1 years to 65.4 years) and women (from 64.0 years to 64.3 years).
There has been a steady upward trend in the average age of exit, over the past 20 years (from 63.2 years in 1999 to 65.3 years in 2019 for men, and from 60.8 years in 1999 to 64.3 years in 2019 for women). This trend reflected increasing employment rates for both men and women over this period and, during which time, the State Pension age increased.
Asked by: Damian Hinds (Conservative - East Hampshire)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
What steps she is taking to ensure that universal credit claimants benefit financially from moving into work.
Answered by Will Quince
The Government has made significant investment to improve work incentives including: the reduction in the Universal Credit taper rate from 65% to 63% in 2017, and an extra £1.7 billion a year put into work allowances for working parents and disabled claimants to increase them by £1,000 a year from April 2019. This is providing a boost to the incomes of the lowest paid and result in 2.4 million families keeping an extra £630 per year of what they earn.
Asked by: Damian Hinds (Conservative - East Hampshire)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment she has made of the trend in the ratio of unemployment benefit recipients, including job seeker's allowance and universal credit to ILO-definition unemployment in the last five years.
Answered by Mims Davies - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
Over the last five years, the ratio between the Alternative Claimant Count (ACC) measure of claimant unemployment[1], and the ONS official measure of unemployment (based on the International Labour Organisation’s definition of unemployment)[2], has increased. This is shown in the table below and chart attached.
| ACC: claimant | ONS National Statistic: unemployment level (thousands) | Ratio: ACC / Unemployment |
Aug-14 | 1,545 | 2,044 | 0.76 |
Aug-15 | 1,299 | 1,838 | 0.71 |
Aug-16 | 1,219 | 1,691 | 0.72 |
Aug-17 | 1,194 | 1,500 | 0.80 |
Aug-18 | 1,195 | 1,446 | 0.83 |
Aug-19 | 1,263 | 1,374 | 0.92 |
The two measures of unemployment should not be expected to match:
The tables below show how the ratio between the two measures of unemployment has varied over the last five years, for different ages, genders and regions. The variation by previous occupation is not available.
Age | ACC: claimant | ONS National Statistic: | Ratio: ACC / Unemployment | |||
Aug-14 | Aug-19 | Aug-14 | Aug-19 | Aug-14 | Aug-19 | |
16-24 | 284 | 210 | 830 | 570 | 0.34 | 0.37 |
25-34 | 388 | 322 | 411 | 263 | 0.94 | 1.22 |
35-49 | 490 | 398 | 474 | 263 | 1.03 | 1.52 |
50+ | 384 | 334 | 339 | 278 | 1.13 | 1.20 |
Gender | ACC: claimant | ONS National Statistic: | Ratio: ACC / Unemployment | |||
Aug-14 | Aug-19 | Aug-14 | Aug-19 | Aug-14 | Aug-19 | |
Men | 844 | 672 | 1,125 | 764 | 0.75 | 0.88 |
Women | 702 | 591 | 919 | 609 | 0.76 | 0.97 |
Region | ACC: claimant | ONS National Statistic: | Ratio: ACC / Unemployment | |||
Aug-14 | Aug-19 | Aug-14 | Aug-19 | Aug-14 | Aug-19 | |
NE | 89 | 75 | 122 | 77 | 0.73 | 0.97 |
NW | 191 | 167 | 223 | 166 | 0.86 | 1.01 |
Y&H | 163 | 119 | 207 | 116 | 0.79 | 1.02 |
E Mids | 107 | 83 | 139 | 113 | 0.77 | 0.73 |
W Mids | 170 | 147 | 205 | 124 | 0.83 | 1.18 |
East | 113 | 91 | 164 | 113 | 0.69 | 0.81 |
London | 251 | 206 | 302 | 233 | 0.83 | 0.88 |
SE | 141 | 122 | 216 | 156 | 0.65 | 0.78 |
SW | 90 | 75 | 135 | 80 | 0.67 | 0.94 |
Wales | 85 | 63 | 104 | 59 | 0.81 | 1.06 |
Scotland | 144 | 115 | 174 | 113 | 0.83 | 1.02 |
For nearly all of the categories (with the exception of East Midlands), the ratio of ‘ACC claimant unemployment’ to ‘ONS official unemployment’ has increased between 2014 and 2019. This is predominantly due to a decrease in the ONS official measure of unemployment.
[1] Alterative Claimant Count: Provides a consistent measure of claimant unemployed by modelling what the Claimant Count would have been had Universal Credit been fully rolled-out.
[2] ILO-definition of unemployment: Individuals without a job who have been actively seeking work within the last four weeks, and are available to start work within the next two weeks.
Asked by: Damian Hinds (Conservative - East Hampshire)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what estimate she has made of variations in the ratio of unemployment benefit recipients, including job seeker's allowance and universal credit to ILO-definition unemployment by (a) age group, (b) region, (c) previous occupation and (d) other segmentation in the last five years.
Answered by Mims Davies - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
Over the last five years, the ratio between the Alternative Claimant Count (ACC) measure of claimant unemployment[1], and the ONS official measure of unemployment (based on the International Labour Organisation’s definition of unemployment)[2], has increased. This is shown in the table below and chart attached.
| ACC: claimant | ONS National Statistic: unemployment level (thousands) | Ratio: ACC / Unemployment |
Aug-14 | 1,545 | 2,044 | 0.76 |
Aug-15 | 1,299 | 1,838 | 0.71 |
Aug-16 | 1,219 | 1,691 | 0.72 |
Aug-17 | 1,194 | 1,500 | 0.80 |
Aug-18 | 1,195 | 1,446 | 0.83 |
Aug-19 | 1,263 | 1,374 | 0.92 |
The two measures of unemployment should not be expected to match:
The tables below show how the ratio between the two measures of unemployment has varied over the last five years, for different ages, genders and regions. The variation by previous occupation is not available.
Age | ACC: claimant | ONS National Statistic: | Ratio: ACC / Unemployment | |||
Aug-14 | Aug-19 | Aug-14 | Aug-19 | Aug-14 | Aug-19 | |
16-24 | 284 | 210 | 830 | 570 | 0.34 | 0.37 |
25-34 | 388 | 322 | 411 | 263 | 0.94 | 1.22 |
35-49 | 490 | 398 | 474 | 263 | 1.03 | 1.52 |
50+ | 384 | 334 | 339 | 278 | 1.13 | 1.20 |
Gender | ACC: claimant | ONS National Statistic: | Ratio: ACC / Unemployment | |||
Aug-14 | Aug-19 | Aug-14 | Aug-19 | Aug-14 | Aug-19 | |
Men | 844 | 672 | 1,125 | 764 | 0.75 | 0.88 |
Women | 702 | 591 | 919 | 609 | 0.76 | 0.97 |
Region | ACC: claimant | ONS National Statistic: | Ratio: ACC / Unemployment | |||
Aug-14 | Aug-19 | Aug-14 | Aug-19 | Aug-14 | Aug-19 | |
NE | 89 | 75 | 122 | 77 | 0.73 | 0.97 |
NW | 191 | 167 | 223 | 166 | 0.86 | 1.01 |
Y&H | 163 | 119 | 207 | 116 | 0.79 | 1.02 |
E Mids | 107 | 83 | 139 | 113 | 0.77 | 0.73 |
W Mids | 170 | 147 | 205 | 124 | 0.83 | 1.18 |
East | 113 | 91 | 164 | 113 | 0.69 | 0.81 |
London | 251 | 206 | 302 | 233 | 0.83 | 0.88 |
SE | 141 | 122 | 216 | 156 | 0.65 | 0.78 |
SW | 90 | 75 | 135 | 80 | 0.67 | 0.94 |
Wales | 85 | 63 | 104 | 59 | 0.81 | 1.06 |
Scotland | 144 | 115 | 174 | 113 | 0.83 | 1.02 |
For nearly all of the categories (with the exception of East Midlands), the ratio of ‘ACC claimant unemployment’ to ‘ONS official unemployment’ has increased between 2014 and 2019. This is predominantly due to a decrease in the ONS official measure of unemployment.
[1] Alterative Claimant Count: Provides a consistent measure of claimant unemployed by modelling what the Claimant Count would have been had Universal Credit been fully rolled-out.
[2] ILO-definition of unemployment: Individuals without a job who have been actively seeking work within the last four weeks, and are available to start work within the next two weeks.
Asked by: Damian Hinds (Conservative - East Hampshire)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will publish the timeframe for each category of recipients of (a) legacy benefits and (b) tax credits that will be migrated to universal credit.
Answered by Will Quince
Universal Credit is now available in every Jobcentre across the country, with a caseload of 2.7 million claimants, growing every month. This means more claimants than ever accessing the additional support and flexibilities it offers.
Currently, most people move to Universal Credit because they have had a significant change in their circumstances which would previously have led them to make a new claim to a legacy benefit. Claimant circumstances within the legacy benefit system are diverse and interact with a range of benefits in different ways. Eligibility for Universal Credit is dependent on individuals’ circumstances, the specific nature of the change and rules for access to legacy benefits.
The Move to Universal Credit pilot commenced, as scheduled, in the area served by Harrogate Jobcentre in July 2019.
The Department has already committed to updating Parliament and stakeholders on progress. We expect to provide our first update in the Spring. We will also set out an evaluation strategy, developed in consultation with stakeholders, before coming to Parliament in the Autumn with the findings and our proposals for the next phase of the delivery of Universal Credit.
Asked by: Damian Hinds (Conservative - East Hampshire)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the Answer of 21 October 2019 to Question 198, what steps she is taking to improve telephone waiting times for the employment and support allowance telephone helpline.
Answered by Justin Tomlinson
As a Department we regularly review the resource required to meet the demand on our telephony channels. Our aim is to provide our customers with the prompt service they deserve but at times high call volumes can have an impact on the service we provide - which may result in some of our customers experiencing extended wait times.
Following a recent review, plans are in place for additional staffing to be deployed to handle Employment and Support Allowance calls and following this, we anticipate wait times to reduce.
Asked by: Damian Hinds (Conservative - East Hampshire)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment the Government has made of the (a) ease and (b) effectiveness of mechanisms for prisoners applying for universal credit prior to release from custody.
Answered by Will Quince
The Department is committed to providing personalised support for all claimants. This support extends to those who are in prison, with dedicated Prison Work Coaches, who are available to support prisoners to complete their benefit claims and proceed to payment as quickly as possible, and to help them to understand what early work search activities might be helpful for them.
DWP and MoJ have been working together to understand the potential barriers to a smooth transition from prison leaving to Universal Credit for those who wish to claim it. This includes, for example, exploring the use of prison documentation as proof of identity for Universal Credit claims where that would help speed the claim. Initial work to test different approaches to supporting prison leavers showed few additional results and low take-up of the support on offer, although the support of a work coach, where it was taken up, was shown to be beneficial in terms of making a claim quickly.