Incapacity Benefit
Work and Pensions
Written answers and statements, 5 November 2009
Steve Webb (Northavon, Liberal Democrat)
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if she will estimate the number of incapacity benefit claims which will be terminated in each of the next 10 years due to the death of the claimant.
Jonathan R Shaw (Minister of State (Disabled People), Regional Affairs; Chatham & Aylesford, Labour)
Current forecasting models do not distinguish between different reasons for people exiting benefit.
However, historic data can be used to give an indication of the number of benefit claims that might be terminated due to death of the claimant. This indicates that approximately 5 per cent. of off flows are due to the death of the claimant, or between 8,000 and 9,000 per year.