Social protection describes help given to those in need or at risk of hardship. Often seen as a safety net that provides a minimum decent standard of living it is designed to protect the vulnerable in society such as those affected by, for example, illness, low income, family circumstances or age.
Publications
A compendium publication of benefit rates, RPI, AEI and benefit expenditure.
Statistics from the Child Support Agency.
The Bulletin provides summary information as well as some trend data from previous years. It includes information on - smoking, household composition, debt, internet access, health, sport and leisure, environmental issues, mobile phones and job applications.
Statistical summary aiming to give users a structured overview of the National Statistics published by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP).
Information on the take-up of the main income-related benefits (Income Support, Pension Credit, Housing Benefit, Job-Seekers Allowance).
The Family Resources Survey collects information on the incomes and circumstances of private households in the UK (or Great Britain before 2002/03).
Information collected from the Family Resources Survey.
An estimate of the levels of fraud and error in the social security benefits system in Great Britain.
Contains data on Attendance Allowance claimants at electoral ward level.
Contains data on Carer's Allowance claimants at electoral ward level.
Contains data on Disability Living Allowance claimants at electoral ward level.
Contains data on Incapacity Benefit claimants at electoral ward level.
Contains data on Income Support claimants at electoral ward level.
Contains data on Jobseekers Allowance claimants at electoral ward level.
Contains data on Pension Credit claimants at electoral ward level.
Contains data on persons of pensionable age on key benefits at electoral ward level.
Contains data on Retirement Pension claimants at electoral ward level.
Contains data on Severe Disablement Allowance claimants at electoral ward level.
Statistics on Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit Claimants
Latest estimates of take-up of income-related benefits for Great Britain covering: Income Support, Pension Credit, Housing Benefit, Council Tax Benefit and income-based Jobseeker's Allowance.
Presents data from the Income Support (IS) Quarterly Statistical Enquiry, shows the key features of the IS population and how they compare with claimants in earlier periods, provides a summary of IS features and how they affect numbers of recipients and amounts of benefit in payment.
Presents data from the Jobseekers Allowance (JSA) Quarterly Statistical Enquiry, shows the key features of the JSA population and how they compare with earlier periods, provides a summary of the main features of JSA and how they affect numbers of recipients and amounts of benefit in payment.
Presents data from the Attendance Allowance (AA) Quarterly Statistical Enquiry, shows the key features of the AA population, provides a summary of the main features of AA and how they affect numbers of recipients and amounts of benefit in payment.
Presents data from the Carer's Allowance (CA) Quarterly Statistical Enquiry, shows the key features of the CA population, provides a summary of the main features of CA and how they affect numbers of recipients and amounts of benefit in payment.
Analysis of administrative data for persons of Working Age and their children and persons over State Pension Age in Northern Ireland.
Presents data from the Disability Living Allowance (DLA) Quarterly Statistical Enquiry, shows the key features of the DLA population, provides a summary of the main features of DLA and how they affect numbers of recipients and amounts of benefit in payment.
Presents data from the Incapacity Benefit (IB) and Severe Disablement Allowance (SDA) Quarterly Statistical Enquiry, shows the key features of the IB and SDA population, provides a summary of the main features of IB and SDA and how they affect numbers of recipients and amounts of benefit in payment.
Presents data from the State Retirement Pension (RP) Quarterly Statistical Enquiry, shows the key features of the RP population, provides a summary of the main features of RP and how they affect numbers of recipients and amounts of benefit in payment.
Provides a single source of information on claimants of all social security benefits, contains information of individual benefits as well as information from the Client Group Analysis.
Presents data from the Pension Credit (PC) Quarterly Statistical Enquiry, shows the key features of the PC population, provides a summary of the main features of PC and how they affect numbers of recipients and amounts of benefit in payment.
Provides access to a wide range of information in different areas of the UK
Regional Trends is a comprehensive regular source of official statistics for the Statistical Regions of the UK (Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and the Government Office Regions within England). It includes a wide range of demographic, social, industrial and economic statistics, covering aspects of life in the regions.
Regional Trends Online Tables is a comprehensive regular source of official statistics for the Statistical Regions of the UK (Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and the Government Office Regions within England). It includes a wide range of demographic, social, industrial, and economic statistics, covering aspects of life in the regions.
Second Tier Pension Provision provides the latest estimates on contracted out pension scheme and SERPS/S2P membership since the introduction of contracted out schemes in 1978/79 published by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP).
Tables showing the interaction of tax, National Insurance, benefits and tax credits for a variety of hypothetical family types.
Looks at data from the Family Resources Survey classified by urban/rural regions.
Overview
Central government, local authorities and private bodies (such as voluntary organisations) all provide help and support. This may be provided through direct cash payments such as social security benefits or pensions; payments in kind, such as free prescriptions; or the provision of services such as the National Health Service.
Social protection policies can be used to reduce poverty and wealth gaps through the provision of services and means tested benefits and payments such as tax credits to low earners and assistance with childcare.
The main providers of cash benefits are the Department for Work and Pensions who administer unemployment and disability benefits and Revenue and Customs who administer Child Benefit and tax credits.
Organisations such as the Department of Health, Department for Children, Schools and Families, the devolved administrations in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland and local authorities also provide a range of social protection measures ranging from equipment and house adaptations for the elderly or disabled and support services to both carers and those being cared for. They also provide care for the elderly, disabled or children identified as being at risk.
Technical Data
The Family Resources Survey collects information on the incomes and circumstances of private households in the UK (or Great Britain before 2002-03). The survey is sponsored by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP). Whilst it was designed with their needs specifically in mind, it contains information that will be of interest to researchers and analysts from a wide range of disciplines in both the public and private sectors. The survey is run annually and the results can be found on the DWP website. Latest results data from past surveys can also be accessed there.
The Income Related Benefits: Estimates of Take-up publication contains information on the take-up of the main income-related benefits in Great Britain: Income Support, Pension Credit, Housing Benefit, Council Tax Benefit and Jobseeker’s Allowance (Income-Based). The report brings together information from DWP/Local Authority benefit records and the Family Resources Survey to provide estimates of take-up among the private household population in Great Britain.
The Fraud and Error in the Benefit System publication gives estimates of the level of fraud and error in benefits administered by DWP and local authorities.
The Quarterly Statistical Summary provides the latest National Statistics on the caseloads for benefit claimants, employment programmes, labour market decisions and vacancies administered by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP).
The Abstract of Statistics is an annual reference publication produced by DWP. The purpose of the publication is to provide a long time series of the main benefit rates, National Insurance Contributions and indices of prices and earnings.
The Tax Benefit Model Tables are designed to illustrate the weekly financial circumstances of a selection of hypothetical family types in local authority and privately rented accommodation. The tables are produced from a spreadsheet-based model, which calculates the interaction between income tax, National Insurance, tax credits and certain working-age benefits.
The Second Tier Pension Provision provides estimates of people in contracted-out pension.
scheme memberships and State Earnings Related Pension Scheme/ State Second Pension memberships since people were first permitted to contract-out in 1978/79. The publication includes analyses by earnings while in the scheme, age, gender, duration of membership, and the number of people with second tier cover.
National Insurance Contributions and Qualifying Years provides estimates on people who have paid National Insurance contributions since 1978/79. The publication includes analyses by type of contributions, age, gender, the number of people gaining a qualifying year and the percentage entitlement to a Basic State Pension.
The Families and Children Study (FACS) is a refreshed panel study of approximately 7,000 families in Britain, investigating the circumstances of all families with dependent children.
It provides nationally representative cross-sectional estimates for all households with dependent children as well as panel data for all six of the annual waves that have been completed thus far. It covers a range of topics including: health; disability and caring; education; income; benefits and tax credits; childcare; child maintenance; housing; material deprivation; transport; and labour market activity.
Families are sampled from child benefit records and are followed every year until their children are no longer dependent. New families, like those that have had new babies, are added to the sample every year. The mother is the main respondent. Partners are interviewed too (by proxy from 2007 onwards) and in some waves children aged between 11 and 15 are given a self-completion questionnaire.
FACS is commissioned and managed by the DWP and is co-sponsored by the Department for Children, Education and Skills and the Department for Transport. Within DWP, FACS is primarily used to generate evidence in relation to child poverty and welfare to work policies for families, and in relation to childcare and child support.
Copies of the reports themselves can be found on the DWP website. The link also provides links to further information and other reports published by the DWP.
Glossary
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Accommodation
Shelter and board provided to destitute or vulnerable people, where these services cannot be classified under another function. This may be short term in reception centres, shelters and others, or on a more regular basis in special institutions, boarding houses, reception families, and other temporary accommodation.
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Attendance Allowance
Attendance Allowance, sometimes referred to as AA, is a tax-free benefit for people aged 65 or over who need help with personal care because they are physically or mentally disabled. It is not normally affected by savings or income of the claimant. There are two rates of payment, higher or lower, depending on the level of disability. Those aged under 65 may qualify for disability living allowance.
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Benefit Unit
A benefit unit is a single adult or couple living as married and any dependent children, where the head is below state pension age (60 for women and 65 for men). A pensioner benefit unit is a single person over state pension age or a couple where one or both adults are over state pension age.
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Care homes
Care homes can be run by local councils, private businesses or not-for-profit companies. They are intended for people who can no longer manage in their own home. Services available at a care home include: meals and accommodation; help with personal care like bathing and dressing; staff available 24 hours a day; and physical and emotional care and care through short illnesses.
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Carers Allowance
Carer's Allowance is a taxable benefit to help people who look after someone who is disabled. The carer does not have to be related to, or live with, the person being cared for.
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Child Benefits
Child Benefit is paid to those responsible for children or qualifying young people. The latter includes:a person under the age of 19 in full-time non-advanced education or on certain approved vocational training programmes; a person who is aged 19 who began their course of full-time, non-advanced education or approved training before reaching age 19; and a person aged 16 or 17 who has left education and training who is registered with the Careers service and is awaiting a placement in employment or training for the limited period of up to 20 weeks from the date they left education or training. Entitlement in all cases ceases when a person reaches the age of 20.
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Child Tax Credits (CTC)
CTC provides support to families for the children (up to the 31 August after their 16th birthdays) and the ‘qualifying’ young people (in full-time non-advanced education until their 19th birthdays) for which they are responsible. It is paid in addition to Child Benefit.
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Crisis Loans
This is a tax-free loan. No interest is charged but it does have to be repaid. The Department for Work and Pensions will award a loan if there is no other form of help available to a claimant. Anyone can apply for a loan regardless of whether they are on benefits or not.
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Disability Living Allowance (DLA)
This is a tax-free benefit for people aged under 65 who need help with personal care because they are physically or mentally disabled. It is not normally affected by savings or income of the claimant. There are two components to the payment, a care component for those who need looking after or supervisions and a mobility component for those who can not walk or need help getting around. Those aged 65 and over may qualify for disability living allowance. Some people may be entitled to just one component, others may qualify for both. They are paid at different rates depending on the effect of the disability on the individual.
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Family Credit/Working Families Tax Credit
Working Families Tax Credit (WFTC) replaced Family Credit from 5 Oct 1999. FC was, and WFTC is, available to families with at least one adult in remunerative work for at least 16 hours per week and who is responsible for at least one child under 16 (under 19 if in full time education up to A-level or equivalent standard). The rate of payment depends on the number of such children and expenditure incurred on eligible childcare. It is also higher if the worker works for at least 30 hours per week, or if there are disabled children or severely disabled adults in the family. The benefit is income-related. For further details go to:www.hmrc.gov.uk.
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Guardian’s Allowance
Guardian's Allowance is an additional allowance for people bringing up a child because one or both of their parents has died. They must be getting Child Benefit (CB) for the child. This benefit is administered by HM Revenue and Customs.
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Housing Benefit
Housing benefit is available to those on low income who need financial help to pay for all, or part of their rent. Housing benefit is not available to those who: have savings of over £16,000, unless they are aged 60 or over and getting Pension Credit; live in the home of a close relative; are full-time students (unless they are disabled or have children); are asylum seekers or are sponsored to be in the UK.For claimants living with a partner or civil partner only one claim can be made. Those under 25 and single can only claim for bed-sit accommodation or a room in shared accommodation. Those renting from a private landlord are eligible for Local housing allowance instead.
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Incapacity Benefit
Incapacity Benefit is paid to those incapable of work because of illness or disablement and who have satisfied the conditions regarding payment of National Insurance contributions. The self-employed, employees excluded from the Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) scheme, or those whose SSP has expired before the 28 week limit and are still sick, can claim benefit.
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Income support
Periodic payments to people with insufficient resources. Conditions for entitlement may be related to personal resources and to nationality, residence, age, availability for work and family status. The benefit may be paid for a limited or an unlimited period. It may be paid to the individual or to the family, and be provided by central or local government.
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Jobseeker’s Allowance
Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA) replaced Unemployment Benefit and Income Support for unemployed claimants on 7 Oct 1996. It is a unified benefit with two routes of entry: contribution-based, which depends mainly upon National Insurance contributions, and income-based, which depends mainly upon a means test. Some claimants can qualify by either route. In practice they receive income-based JSA but have an underlying entitlement to the contribution-based element.
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Local Housing Allowance (LHA)
Based on where the tenant lives, number of occupiers in the property and household size. LHA ensures that tenants in similar circumstances in the same area receive the same financial support for housing costs. Entitlement is means-tested and requires proof of a tenancy agreement.LHA rates are calculated monthly for individual (Broad Market Rental) areas. The amount payable is based on the 'middle of the range' rental figure for the property area/property size. Property rent below the LHA rate upto £15 pw may be kept and will not normally affect other benefits. If it is higher, claimants will have to pay the difference or seek alternative housing within LHA rates.
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Looked after children
Children who are in the care of local authorities. These are one of the most vulnerable groups in society. The majority of children who remain in care are there because they have suffered abuse or neglect or are regarded as being at risk of harm. At any one time around 60,000 children are looked after in England, although some 90,000 pass through the care system in any year. The term ‘children in care’ includes: all children being looked after by a local authority; those subject to a care order under section 31 of the Children Act 1989, and those looked after on a voluntary basis through an agreement with their parents under section 20 of that Act.
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National Health Service
The National Health Service (NHS) was established in 1948 and provides health services, free at the point of entry to all eligible citizens. The NHS is structured in primary and secondary care providers. Primary care providers include general practitioners, pharmacists, dentists and midwives. These services are managed via Primary Care Trusts (PCTs) throughout the country. Secondary care providers include general hospitals and accident and emergency units, they can be managed either via a PCT or an NHS foundation trust.
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Occupational pension scheme
An arrangement (other than accident or permanent health insurance) organised by an employer (or on behalf of a group of employers) to provide benefits for employees on their retirement and for their dependants on their death.
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Other benefits in kind
Basic services and goods to help vulnerable people, such as counselling, day shelter, help with carrying out daily tasks, food, clothing and fuel. Means-tested legal aid is also included.
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Other cash benefits
Support for destitute or vulnerable people to help alleviate poverty or assist in difficult situations. These benefits may be paid by private non-profit organisations.
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Pension schemes
A pension scheme is a plan offering benefits to members upon retirement. Schemes are provided by the state, employers and insurance firms, and are differentiated by a wide range of rules governing membership eligibility, contributions, benefits and taxation.
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Personal pension scheme
A scheme where the contract to provide contributions in return for retirement benefits is between an individual and an insurance firm, rather than between an individual and an employer or the state. Individuals may choose to join such schemes, for example, to provide a primary source of retirement income for the self-employed, or to provide a secondary income to employees who are members of occupational schemes. These schemes may be facilitated (but not provided) by an employer.
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Rehabilitation of alcohol and drug abusers
Treatment of alcohol and drug dependency aimed at reconstructing the social life of the abusers, making them able to live an independent life. The treatment is usually provided in reception centres or special institutions.
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Stakeholder pension scheme
Available since 2001, a flexible, portable, defined-contribution personal pension arrangement (provided by insurance companies with capped management charges) that must meet the conditions set out in the Welfare Reform and Pensions Act 1999 and be registered with the Pensions Regulator. They can be taken out by an individual or facilitated by an employer. Where an employer of five or more staff offers no occupational pension and an employee earns more than the lower earnings limit (the entrance level for paying tax), the provision of access to a stakeholder scheme with contributions deducted from payroll is compulsory.
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Statutory Sick Pay
Since 6 April 1983, most people working for an employer and paying National Insurance contributions as employed persons receive Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) from their employer when they are off work sick. SSP was payable for a maximum of eight weeks until 5 April 1986, and 28 weeks thereafter.
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Vaccine Damage Payment
If a severe disability was the result of a vaccination against certain diseases, a Vaccine Damage Payment, a one-off tax-free payment of £120,000 may be payable. The following are a list of the relevant vaccinations: diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis (whooping cough), Poliomyelitis, measles, mumps, rubella (German measles), tuberculosis (TB), haemophilus influenzae type B (HIB), meningococcal group C (meningitis C), pneumococcal infection, human papillomavirus, smallpox (up to 1 August 1971).
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Widow’s Benefit and Bereavement Benefit
Widow’s Benefit is payable to women widowed on or after 11 April 1988 and up to and including 8 April 2001. There are three types of Widow’s Benefits: Widow’s Payment, Widowed Mother’s Allowance and Widow’s Pension. Women widowed before 11 April 1988 continue to receive Widow’s Benefit based on the rules that existed before that date. Bereavement Benefit was introduced on 9 April 2001 as a replacement of Widow’s Benefit, payable to both men and women widowed on or after 9 April 2001. There are three types of Bereavement Benefits available: Bereavement Payment, Widowed Parent’s Allowance and Bereavement Allowance.
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Working Tax Credits (WTC)
WTC tops up the earnings of families on low or moderate incomes. People working for at least 16 hours a week can claim it if they: (a) are responsible for at least one child or qualifying young person, (b) have a disability which puts them at a disadvantage in getting a job, or (c) in the first year of work, having returned to work aged at least 50 after a period of at least six months receiving out-of-work benefits. Other adults also qualify if they are aged at least 25 and work for at least 30 hours a week.
Contact Details
For statistical enquiries about this topic, please contact:
Core Table Unit
Email: social.protection@ons.gsi.gov.uk
Telephone: +44 (0) 1633 45 5851
Room 2.101 Office for National Statistics Government Buildings Cardiff Road Newport NP10 8XG
