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Dept of Social Security

Answer

Mr. Pond: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many people returning to work have been paid a Back to Work Bonus since the scheme's introduction; and what was the average amount of the payment. [5440] Mr. Bradley: We will be evaluating the effectiveness of the Back to Work Bonus scheme in contributing to our welfare to work objectives, which are to provide work incentives and to reduce poverty and welfare dependency. The information requested is in the table. Back to Work Bonus statistics{1} _________________________________________________________________________________________________. All claimants Number of bonus payments made from October 1996 to May 1997{2} 15,000 Total amount of bonus payments made{3} from October 1996 to May £2,487,450 1997 Estimated average bonus payment{4} £172.11 Claimants with an accrued bonus at the end of May 1997{5} 152,000 _________________________________________________________________________________________________. Notes: 1. These figures are subject to revision. {1} Provisional data based on claims held on the Income Support Computer System (ISCS) and the Jobseeker's Allowance Payment System (JSAPS). No clerically processed claims included. Numbers are rounded to the nearest thousand. {2} Claims authorised for payment recorded on JSAPS and ISCS. They include 500 payments made to claimants on reaching an age threshold (age 60 in Income Support, and age 65 for men and age 60 for women in Jobseeker's Allowance). {3} Total amount authorised for payment recorded on ISCS and JSAPS. {4} Based on total amount authorised for payment recorded on ISCS and JSAPS. {5} Live claims on ISCS and JSAPS with a bonus accrual plus claims which have ended with a bonus accrual but not bonus payment has been made (claimants who return to benefit within 12 weeks and have not claimed a bonus retain the amount accrued during the previous claim). Source: Back to Work Bonus management information statistics.

Secondary information

Type

Written question

Reference

5440; 297 c514-5W

Session

1997-98

Subjects

Social security benefits Back to work bonus scheme

Contains statistics

Yes