How many applications for Income Support in each of the last 3 years

Summary

The request sought statistics on Income Support applications, successful claims, and payments made to non-residents over the last three years. The Treasury disclosed the total number of new claims received but refused to provide data on successful claims or non-resident payments due to information not being held or requiring substantial compilation.

Key Facts

• Total new Income Support claims received were 1,306 in 2021/22, 1,213 in 2022/23, and 1,112 in 2023/24.
• The Treasury does not hold data on the number of successful claims from the applications in a format that answers the request.
• Information on non-resident payments was refused because it would require manual review of every claim, constituting substantial compilation.
• The request was amended on 2 October 2024 and the final response was issued on 23 October 2024.
• The overall outcome of the case was recorded as 'Not upheld'.

Data Disclosed

• 1,306
• 1,213
• 1,112
• 3,631
• 2021/22
• 2022/23
• 2023/24
• 2024-08-20
• 2024-10-02
• 2024-10-23
• 2024-11-21
• 4072422

Exemptions Cited

• Section 11(3)(a) of the Act (information not held)
• Section 8(3)(c) of the Act (substantial compilation or collation)
• Section 11(3)(b) of the Act (practical refusal reason)

Original Request

1. Please let me know how many applications for Income Support have been made in each of the last 3 years. 2. Of these, how many claims were successful, in that Income Support was put into payment? 3. In each of the last three completed financial years and the 2024- 2025 financial year to date, how many people who didn't satisfy the residential condition for Income Support were nevertheless paid Income support and what has been the cost of such benefit payments?

Data Tables (1)

Full Response Text

Freedom of Information
Seyrsnys Fysseree

The Treasury Government Office,
Douglas Isle of Man, IM1 3PU

Telephone: (01624) 685605 Email: FOI.Treasury@gov.im

Government Website: www.gov.im

Our ref: 4072422 23 October 2024

Dear ###,

We write further to your request, received 20 August 2024 and amended on the 2 October 2024, which states:

"1. Please let me know how many applications for Income Support have been made in each of the last 3 years.

1. Of these, how many claims were successful, in that Income Support was put into payment?

2. In each of the last three completed financial years and the 2024- 2025 financial year to date, how many people who didn't satisfy the residential condition for Income Support were nevertheless paid Income support and what has been the cost of such benefit payments?"

I have detailed below the information that is held.

1. Please let me know how many applications for Income Support have been made in each of the last 3 years.

Based on information held by Treasury, these figures are the number of new claims received for Income Support from people of working age:

Financial Year Total no. claims received 2021/22 1,306 2022/23 1,213 2023/24 1,112 Grand Total 3,631

1. Of these, how many claims were successful, in that Income Support was put into payment?

We don’t hold this information in a format which will answer your question, for this reason we need to apply a practical refusal reason to this part of your request under section 11(3)(a) of the Act (information not held). As previously advised, the reason for this is because we do not hold the information which states the number of successful claims from the applications detailed in the table for the first part of your request. The information we hold shows the number of claimants each year and some of these claimants will have received Income Support for a year or more.

It might be of interest to you to know that every year Social Security publishes the information we have referenced above. The amount of claimants and the total cost of each benefit is available on the Government's Open Data website, going back to the year 2000. The link is https://www.gov.im/about-the-government/government/open- data/economy/ and then click on 'Benefits claims and expenditure'. Each of the benefits are listed out separately and includes Income Support (working age).

1. In each of the last three completed financial years and the 2024- 2025 financial year to date, how many people who didn't satisfy the residential condition for Income Support were nevertheless paid Income support and what has been the cost of such benefit payments?"

While our aim is to provide information whenever possible in this instance complying with your request for information would require Treasury to undertake substantial compilation or collation of information that it holds, which Treasury is not required to do under section 8(3)(c) of the Act. In these circumstances, as previously advised, the Treasury may refuse a request on the grounds that a practical refusal reason applies under section 11(3)(b) of the Act. The reason for this is because we would have to manually look into each and every claim and review the application and assessment to obtain the information you have requested for each year, as this is not recorded separately e.g. on spreadsheets or in a management information system.

To support this point and for your information, there have been two similar questions recently asked of the Treasury Minister. The Treasury Minister's answers have been published on the Tynwald website:

https://www.tynwald.org.im/spfile?file=/business/BusinessHansardIndex2126/W- 202401-1137.pdf and

https://www.tynwald.org.im/spfile?file=/business/BusinessHansardIndex2126/W- 202401-1152.pdf .

For these reasons Treasury has demonstrated that it is necessary to apply a practical refusal reason to this part of this request.

Please quote the reference number 4072422 in any future communications.

Your right to request a review

If you are unhappy with this response to your freedom of information request, you may ask us to carry out an internal review of the response, by completing a complaint form and submitting it electronically or by delivery/post.

An electronic version of our complaint form can be found by going to our website at https://services.gov.im/freedom-of-information/Review . If you would like a paper version of our complaint form to be sent to you by post, please contact me and I will be happy to arrange for this. Your review request should explain why you are dissatisfied with this response, and should be made as soon as practicable. We will respond as soon as the review has been concluded.

If you are not satisfied with the result of the review, you then have the right to appeal to the Information Commissioner for a decision on; 1. Whether we have responded to your request for information in accordance with Part 2 of the Freedom of Information Act 2015; or 2. Whether we are justified in refusing to give you the information requested.
In response to an application for review, the Information Commissioner may, at any time, attempt to resolve a matter by negotiation, conciliation, mediation or another form of alternative dispute resolution and will have regard to any outcome of this in making any subsequent decision. More detailed information on your right to a review can be found on the Information Commissioner’s website at www.inforights.im. Should you have any queries concerning this letter, please do not hesitate to contact me. Further information about freedom of information requests can be found at www.gov.im/foi.

I will now close your request as of this date.