By Jeanette Forster
(Contributor) On 24/08/2010 at 08:06 | Benefits data and working age definition I noticed whilst downloading the newly released benefits data that the client option for Incapacity Benefit data uses the 16 to 59/64 definition for working age. Can you confirm that this is the definition of working age for this benefit.
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| Jeanette The newly released DWP data is for Feb 2010 so is not affected by the changes to female state pension age which started to come in from April 2010. Working age client group still refers to 16 to 59f/64m. Between April 2010 and April 2020, the female state pension age is gradually increasing from 60 to 65. Throughout this period, only women below state pension age will be counted as "working age" benefit claimants. So the age defintion of the working-age client group will be slightly different with each update. The first data to be affected by this will be the May 2010 figures due to be released in Nov 2010. |
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By Jeanette Forster
(Contributor) On 26/08/2010 at 12:24 | I am aware of the gradual change in female pension age. It just seems incongruous that the working age client group data is using one definition of working age whilst another definition is being applied to individual benefits |
| Jeanette - that is not the case. The 'working-age' definition used by all the benefit datasets, both the client group and the individual benefit datasets, will be the same, apologies if I gave the wrong impression in my initial reply. The confusion is probably caused by the use of the term working-age. ONS have dropped it, although DWP are retaining it for use with their benefit datasets although a clearer phrase to use is "below state pension age". State pension age is increasing for females from 60 to 65 over the period Apr 2010 to Apr 2020. During this period, what we now refer to as 'working-age' will be a moving target reflecting the female state pension age applicable at the time. At the same time the eligibility to claim benefits such as Jobseekers Allowance which apply to people under pension age will also change to reflect the gradual increase in state pension age. Consequently, the age definition for these individual benefit datasets will also change. So the definition of 'working-age' (or the preferred term 'below state pension age') will be the same for the client group and the individual benefit datasets. However, what this definiton is will change slightly from one period to the next to reflect the gradual increase in female state pension age and hence eligibility to claim benefits. |
