AQW 24572/22-27


Ms Sian Mulholland
Alliance Party
North Antrim


Tabled Date: 18/03/2025
Answered On Date: 25/04/2025
Priority Written: No


Question:
To ask the Minister for Communities to detail the share of individuals claiming disability benefits in Northern Ireland as a percentage of the working-age population in each of the last five year, broken down by: (i) age group; and (ii) constituency.


Answer:
Please note that disability benefits measured in this analysis are Personal Independence Payment, Disability Living Allowance, Employment Support Allowance, Incapacity Benefit, Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit and Severe Disability Benefit.
(i) Proportion of NI working age population on disability benefits by Age Group.
Age Group
2020
2021
2022
2023
2024
16-19
6%
7%
7%
9%
10%
20-24
7%
7%
8%
8%
9%
25-29
8%
8%
8%
9%
9%
30-34
9%
9%
9%
10%
10%
35-39
10%
10%
10%
11%
12%
40-44
11%
11%
12%
12%
13%
45-49
16%
15%
15%
15%
15%
50-54
20%
19%
19%
19%
20%
55-59
23%
23%
24%
24%
25%
60-65
26%
27%
28%
30%
32%
Total
14%
14%
15%
15%
16%
(ii) Proportion of working age NI working age population on disability benefits by Parliamentary Constituency.
Constituency
2020
2021
2022
2023
2024
Belfast East
13%
13%
13%
14%
15%
Belfast North
19%
19%
20%
21%
22%
Belfast South and Mid Down
8%
9%
9%
9%
9%
Belfast West
24%
24%
24%
25%
27%
East Antrim
12%
12%
13%
14%
14%
East Londonderry
15%
15%
15%
16%
17%
Fermanagh and South Tyrone
12%
13%
13%
13%
14%
Foyle
20%
21%
22%
23%
24%
Lagan Valley
10%
10%
11%
11%
12%
Mid Ulster
13%
13%
13%
14%
14%
Newry and Armagh
14%
14%
14%
15%
16%
North Antrim
13%
14%
14%
15%
16%
North Down
11%
11%
12%
12%
13%
South Antrim
12%
12%
12%
13%
14%
South Down
13%
13%
14%
14%
15%
Strangford
12%
12%
13%
14%
15%
Upper Bann
14%
14%
14%
15%
15%
West Tyrone
17%
17%
18%
18%
19%
Total
14%
14%
15%
15%
16%