Changes to Housing Benefit announced in the June 2010 Budget - Work and Pensions Committee Contents


Written evidence submitted by Tameside Metropolitan Borough Council

As will be seen from the data below the number of JSA claimants in Tameside who had been claiming JSA for over 12 months has risen from 620 in August 2009 to 1305 in June 2010. This represents a rise from 8.8% to 20.9% of the JSA claimant count, and an increase in arithmetic terms of over 100% in less than 12 months. It seems reasonable to assume that this is a function of the fragility of the local employment opportunities rather than a dramatic behavioural change by the Tameside workforce. In this context it is hard to determine the policy objective behind the proposal to reduce the Housing Benefit entitlement of this cohort by 10%. Sanctions already exist for those claimants deemed not to be complying with their Jobseekers agreement. The most likely outcome of this policy is the growth in indebtedness amongst the long term unemployed which will manifest itself in an increase in rent arrears and fuel poverty. This would then likely have a negative impact on the health of this cohort, which could prompt increased attendance at GP surgeries and increased NHS spend. Concern is also felt about the possible impact on re-offending rates of a reduction in income of those who are struggling to enter employment following a period serving a community sentence.

WORKING-AGE BENEFITS

The Jobseeker's Allowance (JSA) is payable to people under pensionable age who are available for, and actively seeking, work of at least 40 hours a week.

TOTAL JSA CLAIMANTS (JUNE 2010)
 Tameside
(numbers)
Tameside
(%)
North West
(%)
Great Britain
(%)
All people6,2714.7 4.23.8
Males4,6276.6 5.95.1
Females1,6442.6 2.32.2

Source: ONS claimant count with rates and proportions
Note: % is a proportion of resident working age population of area and gender

JSA CLAIMANTS BY AGE AND DURATION (JUNE 2010)
 Tameside
(numbers)
Tameside
(%)
North West
(%)
Great Britain
(%)
By age of claimant
Aged 18-242,05032.7 29.527.4
Aged 25-493,36053.7 56.356.6
Aged 50 and over83013.3 13.915.6
By duration of claim
Up to 6 months3,57557.1 60.660.3
Over 6 up to 12 months1,375 22.021.321.6
Over 12 months1,30520.9 18.218.1

Source: ONS claimant count — age and duration.
Note: % is a proportion of all JSA claimants.



Over 12 months — short time-series Tameside
DateTameside Tameside
(%)
North West
(%)
Great Britain
(%)
Jan 20062859.1 12.513.9
Feb 20062959.0 12.313.8
Mar 20062908.7 12.614.0
Apr 20063109.3 13.014.5
May 20063109.6 13.715.2
Jun 20063059.5 14.215.7
Jul 200635010.8 14.616.0
Aug 200636011.1 14.616.2
Sep 200635511.0 15.116.7
Oct 200635011.1 15.517.1
Nov 200635011.1 15.717.1
Dec 200636511.5 15.717.0
Jan 200736510.6 15.016.5
Feb 200737010.6 14.816.2
Mar 200738510.9 14.916.3
Apr 200737011.1 15.216.7
May 200736011.0 15.416.9
Jun 200735011.1 15.617.0
Jul 200735510.8 15.116.6
Aug 200735510.7 14.716.1
Sep 200734510.7 14.516.1
Oct 200732510.5 14.516.0
Nov 200733010.6 14.415.6
Dec 200734011.1 13.814.8
Jan 200836011.0 13.214.0
Feb 200833510.2 12.613.1
Mar 20083209.3 12.412.8
Apr 20083309.5 12.312.6
May 20083309.6 12.212.4
Jun 20083309.7 12.112.1
Jul 20083359.3 11.511.5
Aug 20083258.5 10.910.8
Sep 20083208.4 10.710.5
Oct 20083107.9 10.510.3
Nov 20083157.2 9.89.5
Dec 20083156.6 9.28.9
Jan 20093356.3 8.78.4
Feb 20093555.9 8.07.7
Mar 20093906.2 7.97.6
Apr 20094106.3 8.17.7
May 20094456.8 8.68.2
Jun 20094807.3 9.18.7
Jul 20095358.0 9.69.1
Aug 20096208.8 10.39.8
Sep 200970510.1 11.110.6
Oct 200978511.4 12.011.5
Nov 200989013.0 13.312.7
Dec 200999514.6 14.213.6
Jan 20101,10015.3 14.714.2
Feb 20101,17516.3 15.414.8
Mar 20101,22517.7 16.215.7
Apr 20101,25518.4 16.916.6
May 20101,29519.8 17.717.5
Jun 20101,30520.9 18.218.1
Jul 20101,31521.2 17.918.0

Source: ONS claimant count — age and duration

Note: % is a proportion of all JSA claimants

COPYRIGHT

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6 September 2010


 
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