AQW 24488/22-27 Written question to the Minister for Communities
To ask the Minister for Communities to detail the number of people in receipt of (i) Limited Capability for Work; and (ii) Limited Capability for Work and Work-Related Activity in each of the last five years, broken down by (a) age group; and (b) constituency.
Asked by Sian Mulholland MLA on 14 March 2025
- Answered
- Written
- After due date
- Tabled
- 14 March 2025
- Answer due by
- 1 April 2025
- Answered
- 25 April 202542 days after tabling
- Department
- Department for Communities
- Priority question
- No
Answer
(i) The number of people who have been classified as having Limited Capability for Work in each of the last five years, broken down by (a) age group; and (b) constituency is shown in the tables below:
| Age Group | Feb-20 | Feb-21 | Feb-22 | Feb-23 | Feb-24 |
| Under 20 | 70 | 120 | 120 | 110 | 100 |
| 20-24 | 340 | 610 | 700 | 750 | 770 |
| 25-29 | 320 | 620 | 790 | 890 | 960 |
| 30-34 | 320 | 590 | 750 | 900 | 930 |
| 35-39 | 270 | 530 | 660 | 770 | 890 |
| 40-44 | 240 | 410 | 560 | 600 | 680 |
| 45-49 | 250 | 410 | 450 | 470 | 480 |
| 50-54 | 240 | 390 | 450 | 450 | 470 |
| 55-59 | 220 | 340 | 400 | 430 | 490 |
| 60+ | 200 | 330 | 400 | 440 | 500 |
| Unknown | 20 | 20 | 20 | 30 | 30 |
| Total | 2,490 | 4,380 | 5,290 | 5,840 | 6,300 |
| Constituency | Feb-20 | Feb-21 | Feb-22 | Feb-23 | Feb-24 |
| Belfast East | 120 | 240 | 300 | 330 | 360 |
| Belfast North | 140 | 320 | 440 | 490 | 560 |
| Belfast South and Mid Down | 60 | 150 | 210 | 220 | 230 |
| Belfast West | 230 | 400 | 510 | 590 | 640 |
| East Antrim | 50 | 140 | 200 | 230 | 270 |
| East Londonderry | 270 | 380 | 400 | 400 | 420 |
| Fermanagh and South Tyrone | 110 | 180 | 250 | 260 | 300 |
| Foyle | 240 | 360 | 390 | 460 | 490 |
| Lagan Valley | 80 | 190 | 230 | 240 | 280 |
| Mid Ulster | 110 | 180 | 200 | 230 | 250 |
| Newry and Armagh | 160 | 280 | 310 | 320 | 320 |
| North Antrim | 190 | 320 | 340 | 380 | 400 |
| North Down | 70 | 160 | 180 | 200 | 230 |
| South Antrim | 80 | 190 | 210 | 230 | 290 |
| South Down | 130 | 230 | 280 | 310 | 280 |
| Strangford | 60 | 150 | 210 | 250 | 260 |
| Upper Bann | 210 | 310 | 340 | 370 | 390 |
| West Tyrone | 160 | 200 | 280 | 300 | 290 |
| Unknown | 10 | 10 | 20 | 30 | 30 |
| Total | 2,490 | 4,380 | 5,290 | 5,840 | 6,300 |
NotesData Source: Universal Full Credit System (UCFS) at August 2024. Due to retrospection of UCFS data these figures are subject to change.All figures are rounded to the nearest ten. Totals may not sum due to rounding.Being considered to have Limited Capability for Work has not attracted any additional Universal Credit payment element since 3 April 2017. Some claimants in LCW group may retain a residual LCW element.
(ii) The number of people who have been classified as having Limited Capability for Work and Work-Related Activity in each of the last five years, broken down by (a) age group; and (b) constituency is shown in the tables below:
| Age Group | Feb-20 | Feb-21 | Feb-22 | Feb-23 | Feb-24 |
| U20 | 710 | 840 | 910 | 990 | 1,010 |
| 20-24 | 2,180 | 3,520 | 4,490 | 5,220 | 5,930 |
| 25-29 | 1,880 | 2,980 | 3,900 | 4,740 | 5,740 |
| 30-34 | 1,940 | 3,260 | 4,460 | 5,510 | 6,580 |
| 35-39 | 1,750 | 3,020 | 4,260 | 5,680 | 7,180 |
| 40-44 | 1,680 | 2,800 | 4,030 | 5,380 | 6,700 |
| 45-49 | 1,850 | 3,040 | 3,970 | 5,030 | 6,230 |
| 50-54 | 2,030 | 3,420 | 4,590 | 5,790 | 7,110 |
| 55-59 | 1,940 | 3,430 | 4,650 | 6,140 | 7,480 |
| 60+ | 1,950 | 3,930 | 5,730 | 7,690 | 9,500 |
| Unknown | 130 | 110 | 110 | 170 | 220 |
| Total | 18,040 | 30,350 | 41,080 | 52,330 | 63,670 |
| Constituency | Feb-20 | Feb-21 | Feb-22 | Feb-23 | Feb-24 |
| Belfast East | 890 | 1,620 | 2,260 | 2,800 | 3,530 |
| Belfast North | 1,320 | 2,360 | 3,400 | 4,290 | 5,330 |
| Belfast South and Mid Down | 720 | 1,300 | 1,740 | 2,120 | 2,670 |
| Belfast West | 1,760 | 2,810 | 3,860 | 5,030 | 6,230 |
| East Antrim | 680 | 1,200 | 1,690 | 2,220 | 2,630 |
| East Londonderry | 1,400 | 2,060 | 2,590 | 3,240 | 3,880 |
| Fermanagh and South Tyrone | 990 | 1,620 | 2,060 | 2,560 | 3,030 |
| Foyle | 1,580 | 2,340 | 3,370 | 4,400 | 5,500 |
| Lagan Valley | 620 | 1,240 | 1,690 | 2,150 | 2,610 |
| Mid Ulster | 800 | 1,360 | 1,750 | 2,230 | 2,660 |
| Newry and Armagh | 1,080 | 1,810 | 2,410 | 3,040 | 3,700 |
| North Antrim | 990 | 1,660 | 2,230 | 2,880 | 3,460 |
| North Down | 620 | 1,130 | 1,520 | 1,950 | 2,310 |
| South Antrim | 530 | 1,130 | 1,580 | 2,080 | 2,560 |
| South Down | 920 | 1,500 | 1,930 | 2,470 | 2,960 |
| Strangford | 750 | 1,350 | 1,810 | 2,290 | 2,770 |
| Upper Bann | 1,200 | 1,990 | 2,730 | 3,420 | 4,060 |
| West Tyrone | 1,140 | 1,780 | 2,340 | 2,980 | 3,570 |
| Unknown | 60 | 70 | 140 | 200 | 210 |
| Total | 18,040 | 30,350 | 41,080 | 52,330 | 63,670 |
NotesData Source: Universal Full Credit System (UCFS) at August 2024. Due to retrospection of UCFS data these figures are subject to change.Figures have been rounded to the nearest 10.