Eduin Latimer
@eduinlatimer.bsky.social
Economist at Institute for Fiscal Studies, interested in low-paying labour market and the tax and benefit system.
And this is a growing issue. The share of children getting high-level targeted support for additional needs has doubled across both the benefit and education systems.
October 3, 2025 at 11:35 AM
And this is a growing issue. The share of children getting high-level targeted support for additional needs has doubled across both the benefit and education systems.
The protections for existing claimants will also last a long time. Currently around 15% of incapacity benefit (including UC health) claimants have been claiming for 15 years or longer. In 2041 there will still be around 400,000 people who get extra UC health because of this protection.
August 27, 2025 at 12:17 PM
The protections for existing claimants will also last a long time. Currently around 15% of incapacity benefit (including UC health) claimants have been claiming for 15 years or longer. In 2041 there will still be around 400,000 people who get extra UC health because of this protection.
Apologies, 2014 figures in initial graph in the above were inaccurate. Corrected graph here, no change to key message.
July 15, 2025 at 3:25 PM
Apologies, 2014 figures in initial graph in the above were inaccurate. Corrected graph here, no change to key message.
This evidence on population mental health helps throw more light on the recent growth in disability benefit claims in the UK, where we have seen the fastest increase in claims relating to mental health or learning and behavioural conditions.
July 15, 2025 at 11:35 AM
This evidence on population mental health helps throw more light on the recent growth in disability benefit claims in the UK, where we have seen the fastest increase in claims relating to mental health or learning and behavioural conditions.
People who are out of work are much more likely to have a common mental health condition and the gap between those in and out of work has grown in last ten years. This may help to explain part of the rise in people who report not working due to ill health.
July 15, 2025 at 11:35 AM
People who are out of work are much more likely to have a common mental health condition and the gap between those in and out of work has grown in last ten years. This may help to explain part of the rise in people who report not working due to ill health.
Anxiety is the fastest growing mental health condition, double as many people report the symptoms of generalised anxiety disorder as did in 2007. The most common condition remains the vague “common mental health condition-not otherwise specified” category.
July 15, 2025 at 11:35 AM
Anxiety is the fastest growing mental health condition, double as many people report the symptoms of generalised anxiety disorder as did in 2007. The most common condition remains the vague “common mental health condition-not otherwise specified” category.
The results from this new survey match the trend from four other surveys that we @theifs.bsky.social found when we looked at this earlier this year.
July 15, 2025 at 11:35 AM
The results from this new survey match the trend from four other surveys that we @theifs.bsky.social found when we looked at this earlier this year.
Last month, a new detailed survey of mental health amongst adults in England came out. Headline result is that more 16-64-year-olds have a common mental health conditions than in any previous wave of the survey over last 30 years. A brief thread...
July 15, 2025 at 11:35 AM
Last month, a new detailed survey of mental health amongst adults in England came out. Headline result is that more 16-64-year-olds have a common mental health conditions than in any previous wave of the survey over last 30 years. A brief thread...
Anxiety is the fastest growing mental health condition although, twice as many people are reporting the symptoms for it as did in 2007. The most common mental health condition remains the vague “common mental health condition-not otherwise specified” category.
July 15, 2025 at 11:20 AM
Anxiety is the fastest growing mental health condition although, twice as many people are reporting the symptoms for it as did in 2007. The most common mental health condition remains the vague “common mental health condition-not otherwise specified” category.
The results from this new survey (the Adult Psychiatric Morbidity Survey) match the trend from four other surveys that we @theifs.bsky.social found when we looked at this earlier this year.
July 15, 2025 at 11:20 AM
The results from this new survey (the Adult Psychiatric Morbidity Survey) match the trend from four other surveys that we @theifs.bsky.social found when we looked at this earlier this year.
There are lots of rumours about potential changes to the government's benefit reforms in response to political challenges. The table below shows the costs and impacts on claimants of various options. If the government does choose to scale back overall cut, they have decision about who to help.
June 26, 2025 at 3:53 PM
There are lots of rumours about potential changes to the government's benefit reforms in response to political challenges. The table below shows the costs and impacts on claimants of various options. If the government does choose to scale back overall cut, they have decision about who to help.
Relatedly, older disability benefit claimants are also much more likely to be affected by the changes to eligibility than younger claimants. (3/8)
May 8, 2025 at 1:54 PM
Relatedly, older disability benefit claimants are also much more likely to be affected by the changes to eligibility than younger claimants. (3/8)
Claimants with back pain or arthritis are much more likely to lose some/all of their disability benefits (on average around £4,500 a year) than claimants whose main condition is anxiety, depression or autism. (2/8)
May 8, 2025 at 1:54 PM
Claimants with back pain or arthritis are much more likely to lose some/all of their disability benefits (on average around £4,500 a year) than claimants whose main condition is anxiety, depression or autism. (2/8)
Something that all surveys do agree on is a steady increase in the share of people reporting mental health or behavioural conditions from 7-10% in 2015 to 13-15% in the latest data. [8/10]
March 12, 2025 at 3:56 PM
Something that all surveys do agree on is a steady increase in the share of people reporting mental health or behavioural conditions from 7-10% in 2015 to 13-15% in the latest data. [8/10]
The LFS and FRS look more credible on disability benefits, so there is a stronger case to think health conditions have become more common. However, both sources have seen big falls in their response rates post-pandemic, so caution is required here too. [6/10]
March 12, 2025 at 3:56 PM
The LFS and FRS look more credible on disability benefits, so there is a stronger case to think health conditions have become more common. However, both sources have seen big falls in their response rates post-pandemic, so caution is required here too. [6/10]
Which surveys are right? We don’t think we can put much weight on the two surveys which miss the rise in disability benefits (HSE and UKHLS), so the case for no increase in health conditions is fairly weak. [5/10]
March 12, 2025 at 3:56 PM
Which surveys are right? We don’t think we can put much weight on the two surveys which miss the rise in disability benefits (HSE and UKHLS), so the case for no increase in health conditions is fairly weak. [5/10]
This relates to what surveys say about long-term health conditions. UKHLS and HSE miss the rise in disability benefits claims post-pandemic and show no rise in health conditions, LFS and FRS capture the rise in disability benefit claims and show a rise in health conditions [4/10]
March 12, 2025 at 3:56 PM
This relates to what surveys say about long-term health conditions. UKHLS and HSE miss the rise in disability benefits claims post-pandemic and show no rise in health conditions, LFS and FRS capture the rise in disability benefit claims and show a rise in health conditions [4/10]
Before we look at reported health conditions, we benchmark four surveys against the administrative data on disability benefits.
Two surveys (the LFS and FRS) show the post-pandemic increase in disability benefits, while two (HSE and UKHLS) miss it. [3/10]
Two surveys (the LFS and FRS) show the post-pandemic increase in disability benefits, while two (HSE and UKHLS) miss it. [3/10]
March 12, 2025 at 3:56 PM
Before we look at reported health conditions, we benchmark four surveys against the administrative data on disability benefits.
Two surveys (the LFS and FRS) show the post-pandemic increase in disability benefits, while two (HSE and UKHLS) miss it. [3/10]
Two surveys (the LFS and FRS) show the post-pandemic increase in disability benefits, while two (HSE and UKHLS) miss it. [3/10]
New report out today with colleagues @theifs.bsky.social and funded by @jrf-uk.bsky.social and @healthfoundation.bsky.social.
We look at what we know about the role of changing health and reported disability in the 38% rise in people claiming disability benefits since the pandemic. A 🧵 [1/10]
We look at what we know about the role of changing health and reported disability in the 38% rise in people claiming disability benefits since the pandemic. A 🧵 [1/10]
March 12, 2025 at 3:56 PM
New report out today with colleagues @theifs.bsky.social and funded by @jrf-uk.bsky.social and @healthfoundation.bsky.social.
We look at what we know about the role of changing health and reported disability in the 38% rise in people claiming disability benefits since the pandemic. A 🧵 [1/10]
We look at what we know about the role of changing health and reported disability in the 38% rise in people claiming disability benefits since the pandemic. A 🧵 [1/10]
Interesting new DWP release. They adjust the incapacity benefits caseload for some differences between universal credit and the legacy system, the changing state pension age, and population aging. The adjusted caseload grew by 35% from 2018-2023 rather than 50% unadjusted. [1/4]
January 29, 2025 at 1:54 PM
Interesting new DWP release. They adjust the incapacity benefits caseload for some differences between universal credit and the legacy system, the changing state pension age, and population aging. The adjusted caseload grew by 35% from 2018-2023 rather than 50% unadjusted. [1/4]
As a result of this small change, applications for PIP increased by 22% relative to the control areas. A big increase for such a small operational change.
December 18, 2024 at 11:58 AM
As a result of this small change, applications for PIP increased by 22% relative to the control areas. A big increase for such a small operational change.
Reasonable to be worried about LFS understating employment, and potentially disproportionaletly for some age groups. Looking back to 2019 though, when there were less reasons to be concerned about the LFS, we still smaller but still big employment gaps for 15-24-year-olds and 55-64-year-olds
December 12, 2024 at 4:04 PM
Reasonable to be worried about LFS understating employment, and potentially disproportionaletly for some age groups. Looking back to 2019 though, when there were less reasons to be concerned about the LFS, we still smaller but still big employment gaps for 15-24-year-olds and 55-64-year-olds
Part (but not all) of the reason that the fewer young people are in work is due to differences in education systems. Only 40% of young people in education are also in work in the UK, compared to over 70% in the Netherlands, where vocational education is more common.
December 12, 2024 at 2:52 PM
Part (but not all) of the reason that the fewer young people are in work is due to differences in education systems. Only 40% of young people in education are also in work in the UK, compared to over 70% in the Netherlands, where vocational education is more common.
Under-25s and 55-to-64-year-olds are the key groups where fewer people are in work in the UK than the four countries with 80% employment. Three quarters of the overall gap in employment rates between the UK and the frontier is due to lower employment rates amongst these two groups. [3/6]
December 12, 2024 at 2:51 PM
Under-25s and 55-to-64-year-olds are the key groups where fewer people are in work in the UK than the four countries with 80% employment. Three quarters of the overall gap in employment rates between the UK and the frontier is due to lower employment rates amongst these two groups. [3/6]
Where does the UK fall in the international employment rate league table? There are uncertainties around the data, but we know around 75%-76% of 16-64-year-olds are in work in the UK. This puts the UK above the average for the OECD, but a way back on the four countries who have already hit 80%.
December 12, 2024 at 2:50 PM
Where does the UK fall in the international employment rate league table? There are uncertainties around the data, but we know around 75%-76% of 16-64-year-olds are in work in the UK. This puts the UK above the average for the OECD, but a way back on the four countries who have already hit 80%.