AQW 24573/22-27 Written question to the Minister for Communities
To ask the Minister for Communities to detail the total expenditure on disability and incapacity benefits of the working-age population in Northern Ireland in the last five years, broken down by (i) benefit type; and (ii) age group.
Asked by Sian Mulholland MLA on 18 March 2025
- Answered
- Written
- After due date
- Tabled
- 18 March 2025
- Answer due by
- 2 April 2025
- Answered
- 15 April 202528 days after tabling
- Department
- Department for Communities
- Priority question
- No
Answer
Benefit Type
Expenditure on disability and incapacity benefits of the working age population in Northern Ireland broken down by benefit type is provided in Table 1. My Department does not hold expenditure by working age for Personal Independence Payments. Total expenditure for Personal Independence Payments is provided in Table 2.
Age Group
My Department does not hold expenditure on disability and incapacity benefits by age group.
Table 1: Working Age Expenditure (£’m)
| 2019-20 | 2020-21 | 2021-22 | 2022-23 | 2023-24 | |
| Employment and Support Allowance | 862.7 | 855.5 | 804.7 | 785.5 | 821.8 |
| Universal Credit Limited Capability for Work | 44.2 | 86.8 | 123.3 | 167.4 | 233.0 |
| Disability Living Allowance | 12.5 | 0.3 | 0.4 | 0.3 | 0.3 |
Table 2: Total Expenditure (£’m)
| 2019-20 | 2020-21 | 2021-22 | 2022-23 | 2023-24 | |
| Personal Independence Payments | 838.4 | 916.6 | 1,029.3 | 1,188.2 | 1,442.3 |