Income-related benefits: estimates of take-up: statistical notice
Published 17 August 2017
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This statistical notice advises users of changes in the methodology for calculating take-up in the Income-related benefits: estimates of take-up official statistics publication. These changes will take effect from the 2015/16 publication, which is due to be released on 14 September 2017.
The new methodology provides an improved measure of take-up by:
- linking Income Support (IS), Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) and Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA) with Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) administrative data to obtain accurate entitlement amounts and amounts in receipt
- using a more accurate calculation to remove full-time students from the JSA entitled non-recipients
A consistent back series will be produced.
Further detail on the new methodology will be published later in 2017.
If you have any queries about these changes email irb.takeup@dwp.gsi.gov.uk.
Background
DWP uses a complex methodology to measure the take-up of income-related benefits.
The methodology uses data linking to link the Family Resources Survey (FRS) with DWP administrative data. Where a record on the FRS has been successfully matched to the administrative data, their entitlement amount (from the Policy Simulation Model – DWP’s static microsimulation model which models the tax and benefit system of the UK) and FRS-reported amount in receipt are overwritten by that on the administrative data, as this is more reliable. This process was previously not included for IS, ESA and JSA and has now been added in.
Full-time students are not entitled to JSA so they should not appear in the JSA entitled non-recipients. These students were previously removed in the calculation of entitlement using the employment status of a record to identify if they were a student. Some full-time students still appeared here if they were listed as unemployed or in part-time employment. The new amended method also looks to see if the record has reported that they are in full-time education on the FRS. If it has, they are classified as not entitled to JSA.
Effect of the changes
Adding the data linking methodology for IS, ESA and JSA means that more records are identified as being in receipt and therefore the number of entitled non-recipients will decrease. This will therefore increase the take-up rates.
Changes to the student methodology means that there are fewer entitled non-recipients for JSA. This will mean that the take-up rate is higher.
Next steps
Published estimates in the Income-related benefits: estimates of take-up publication will be calculated using the changed methodology from the 2015/16 publication onwards, and the back series.
Issued by
Income-Related Benefits: Estimates of Take-up Team, DWP
Telephone: 0191 216 8950
Press Office: 020 3267 5144
Statistician
Joanne Burrage
Income-Related Benefits: Estimates of Take-up Team
Department for Work and Pensions
BP5201, Benton Park View
Benton Park Road
Newcastle upon Tyne
NE98 1YX
Telephone: 0191 216 8950
Email: irb.takeup@dwp.gsi.gov.uk