Dataset: Family Resources Survey (Household, Family (Benefit Unit), Household Food Security)

Field: Income-related benefit received by the Household or the Family (Benefit Unit)

Description

Income-related benefit received by a household or a family (benefit unit), as reported by FRS respondents, where:

• A household consists of one person living alone or a group of people (not necessarily related) living at the same address, who share cooking facilities and share a living room or sitting room or dining area. A household will consist of one or more benefit units.
• A family (benefit unit) may consist of: a single adult, or a married or cohabiting couple, plus any dependent children. Same-sex partners (civil partners and cohabitees) have been included in the same benefit unit since January 2006.

Benefits are often divided into income-related benefits and non-income-related benefits. In assessing entitlement to the former, the claimant's income and savings will be checked against the rules of the benefit.

A list of the main state benefits shown in "state support" tables in the FRS publication can be found below:

Income-related benefits

• Council Tax Reduction
• Employment and Support Allowance (income-related element)
• Housing Benefit
• Income Support
• Pension Credit
• Universal Credit

Classification

Applicable to: all individuals in a household or a family (benefit unit).

• Not in receipt
• In receipt

Number of categories: 2

Quality Statement

Relative to administrative records, the FRS is known to under-report benefit receipt. However, the FRS is considered to be the best source for looking at benefit and tax credit receipt by characteristics not captured on administrative sources, and for looking at total benefit receipt on a family (benefit unit) or household basis. It is often inappropriate to look at benefit receipt on an individual basis because means-tested benefits are paid on behalf of the family (benefit unit).

Further information can be found in the FRS Background Note and Methodology here.

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