Northern Ireland Benefits Statistics Summary at May 2017 is published

Date published: 30 August 2017

Unless stated otherwise, the figures are at May 2017.

Key findings include:

• As at May the number of Jobseeker’s Allowance claimants was 30,030. This represents a decrease of 5,530 on a year earlier.
• The number of Employment and Support Allowance claimants was 127,900 and the number of Employment and Support Allowance recipients was 119,260. This represents an increase in claimants of 6,180 on a year earlier.
• As at June the number of Incapacity Benefit claimants was 1,970 and there were no recipients of Incapacity Benefit.
• As at June the number of Severe Disablement Allowance claimants was 1,350 and the number of Severe Disablement Allowance recipients was 1,310.
• There were 36,320 claimants of Income Support. This represents a fall of 2,320 since May 2016.
• There were 246,160 people of working age claiming a key benefit. This has fallen by 6,720 from a year earlier. This fall is partly due to the managed reassessment of the existing Disability Living Allowance caseload to Personal Independence Payment, for which data is not yet included.
• The number of State Pension claimants was 306,860, a decrease of 690 on a year earlier.
• There were 76,140 claimants and 92,530 beneficiaries of Pension Credit. Claimants have fallen by 4,440 since May 2016, mainly as a result of an increase in the age of entitlement and increases in State Pension amounts.
• There were 312,030 people over state pension age claiming a key benefit, a decrease of 70 since May 2016.
• The number of Disability Living Allowance recipients was 199,680. This has fallen by 12,530 in the last year, mainly due to the introduction of Personal Independence Payment (PIP) for people of working age.
• The number of Attendance Allowance recipients was 51,100 representing a fall of 480 on a year earlier.
• The number of Carer’s Allowance claimants was 72,970. This represents an increase of 1,750 since May 2016.