A Monthly Profile

Labour Market
and Related Payments

a monthly profile

Note: The Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) produces the official unemployment statistics. The figures contained in this publication are different from the ABS unemployment figures as the ABS and the Department Social Services (DSS) use different definitions to identify the unemployed and different methods of counting (see the Appendix for more information).

This publication can be found on the Department of Social Services website at DSS - Labour Market and Related Payments Publication (http://www.dss.gov.au/lmrp).

April 2016

Embargoed

Until 11.30 am, 25 May 2016

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Contents

Introduction 2

Statistical Highlights 3

Table 1 - Labour Market Payments - Time Series 4

Table 2 - Newstart Allowees - Derivation Of The Job Seeker Population 5

Table 3 - Youth Allowees (Other) - Derivation Of The Job Seeker Population 6

Table 4 - Job Seekers Receiving Newstart Allowance and Youth Allowance (Other) Time Series 7

Table 5 - Job Seekers Receiving Newstart Allowance and Youth Allowance (Other) By State 8

Table 6 - Job Seekers Receiving Newstart Allowance And Youth Allowance (Other) By Age and Sex 9

Table 7 (Parts a to n) - Job Seekers Receiving Newstart Allowance and Youth Allowance (Other) By Service Zone and Service Centre 10

Table 8 - Job Seekers Receiving Newstart Allowance and Youth Allowance (Other) Fortnightly Earnings and Sex 24

Explanatory Notes 25

Payment History 25

Glossary 31

Appendix 34

For More Information 37

Introduction

This publication presents statistical information on a monthly basis for the various types of labour market payments delivered by the Department of Human Services (DHS) on behalf of the Department of Social Services (DSS). This publication was produced previously by the Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations (DEEWR).

This publication covers Newstart (NSA) and Youth Allowance (other) (YA(o)) in some detail, and to a lesser extent, Partner Allowance (PA), Widow Allowance (WA), Youth Allowance (Full Time Student)(YA(FTS)) and Youth Allowance (Australian Apprentices) (YA(a)).

Table 1 provides information on the total number of NSA and YA recipients. The YA population is broken down into YA(o), YA(FTS) and YA(Australian Apprentices) categories. The total numbers of PA and WA recipients are also provided in this table.

Tables 2 and 3 show the derivation of the NSA and YA(o) job seeker populations (see the reference to job seekers in the ‘Comparability of data’ section of the Explanatory Notes). These populations are added together to derive the total number of job seekers.

Tables 4 to 8 provide information on the total job seeker population.

When using time series figures, it is important to note that changes have occurred over time to the conditions of eligibility for different payments. Details of these changes are provided in the Explanatory Notes.

All media inquiries should be directed to the DSS Media Team on (02) 6146 3242.
For more general inquiries regarding further statistical information please refer to the last page of this publication for other contact details.

The next issue of this publication is scheduled for release on 29 June 2016.

Statistical Highlights – April 2016

Between April 2015 and April 2016

Total Newstart Allowance (NSA) and Youth Allowance (other) (YA(o)) recipients decreased 0.2 per cent overall from 873 966 to 872 001.

·  NSA recipients increased 1.0 per cent from 765 988 to 773 675.

·  YA(o) recipients decreased 8.9 per cent from 107 978 to 98 326.

The number of job seekers increased 21.6 per cent overall from 435 947 to 530093.

·  NSA job seekers increased 19.1 per cent from 381 037 to 453 834.

·  YA(o) job seekers increased 38.9 per cent from 54 910 to 76 259.

Long-term job seekers increased 25.5 per cent from 278 562 to 349 643.

Short-term job seekers increased 14.7 per cent from 157 385 to 180 450.

NOTE: On 1 July 2015, a new employment services model ‘jobactive’ was introduced. ‘jobactive’ replaced Job Services Australia and has a stronger focus on job search and finding and keeping employment. Job seeker numbers have increased, as more recipients have a job search requirement under the new model.

For comparisons between DSS unemployment labour market payment numbers and ABS labour force unemployment statistics, see Appendix.

Figure 1: Line Graph – Newstart and Youth Allowance (other) time series

Table 1 - Labour Market Payments - Time Series

1

Month/Year / Newstart Allowance
Long Term / Newstart Allowance
Total / Youth Allowance (Other) / Youth Allowance (Full-time Student) / Youth Allowance (Australian Apprentice) / Partner Allowance / Widow Allowance
February 1994 / 472,785 / 977,796 / .. / .. / .. / .. / ..
April 2014 / 486,898 / 734,866 / 112,776 / 228,852 / 6,736 / 8,769 / 26,280
May 2014 / 490,612 / 738,128 / 112,274 / 238,592 / 6,890 / 8,513 / 25,961
June 2014 / 495,633 / 741,051 / 112,705 / 239,768 / 7,055 / 8,289 / 25,674
July 2014 / 495,895 / 734,817 / 111,765 / 227,625 / 6,909 / 8,065 / 25,317
August 2014 / 498,293 / 729,716 / 106,332 / 236,156 / 6,762 / 7,818 / 24,980
September 2014 / 502,196 / 728,126 / 104,395 / 238,785 / 6,714 / 7,589 / 24,711
October 2014 / 505,815 / 729,549 / 102,714 / 236,622 / 6,460 / 7,373 / 24,404
November 2014 / 516,763 / 731,126 / 101,405 / 211,398 / 5,988 / 7,157 / 24,180
December 2014 / 527,318 / 746,294 / 112,079 / 182,733 / 5,857 / 6,967 / 23,988
January 2015 / 532,903 / 754,340 / 108,657 / 173,161 / 5,502 / 6,756 / 23,604
February 2015 / 537,533 / 760,149 / 109,888 / 188,529 / 5,417 / 6,552 / 23,336
March 2015 / 538,587 / 759,924 / 106,436 / 210,765 / 5,599 / 6,356 / 23,058
April 2015 / 543,245 / 765,988 / 107,978 / 219,279 / 5,701 / 6,149 / 22,794
May 2015 / 540,239 / 760,928 / 105,558 / 230,469 / 5,710 / 5,971 / 22,467
June 2015 / 549,111 / 774,072 / 109,165 / 232,088 / 5,676 / 5,790 / 22,151
July 2015 / 547,590 / 769,902 / 108,437 / 216,773 / 5,447 / 5,612 / 21,768
August 2015 / 538,904 / 753,622 / 100,040 / 232,201 / 5,320 / 5,440 / 21,468
September 2015 / 538,773 / 751,471 / 97,693 / 234,033 / 5,197 / 5,292 / 21,197
October 2015 / 537,479 / 746,317 / 94,433 / 232,317 / 4,970 / 5,120 / 20,868
November 2015 / 540,412 / 748,450 / 93,687 / 205,857 / 4,527 / 4,947 / 20,600
December 2015 / 551,705 / 762,624 / 103,632 / 167,101 / 4,216 / 4,804 / 20,319
January 2016 / 554,509 / 766,841 / 100,188 / 161,730 / 3,938 / 4,639 / 19,975
February 2016 / 557,411 / 769,913 / 100,265 / 173,005 / 3,950 / 4,477 / 19,670
March 2016 / 564,903 / 781,118 / 99,942 / 188,688 / 3,881 / 4,343 / 19,363
April 2016 / 559,242 / 773,675 / 98,326 / 208,242 / 3,835 / 4,208 / 19,047
Variation March 2016 - April 2016
Number / -5,661 / -7,443 / -1,616 / 19,554 / -46 / -135 / -316
Per cent / -1.0 / -1.0 / -1.6 / 10.4 / -1.2 / -3.1 / -1.6

Notes:

-  Long-term Allowees have received income support for 12 months or more.

-  The method of measuring the number of people receiving labour market payments was revised in July 2002. The July 2002 publication includes revised historical data from May 1998 to June 2002.

-  February 1994 data is included as it represents a peak in the number of recipients.

Table 2 - Newstart Allowees - Derivation of the Job Seeker Population

Newstart Allowance / April 2016 Persons / April 2016 Males / April 2016 Females / March 2016 / Variation March - April Number / Variation March - April per cent
Short Term Newstart Allowees / 214,433 / 132,717 / 81,716 / 216,215 / -1,782 / -0.8
Did not receive a payment (a) / 12,338 / 6,956 / 5,382 / 12,701 / -363 / -2.9
Received a payment / 202,095 / 125,761 / 76,334 / 203,514 / -1,419 / -0.7
Voluntary/part-time work (b) / 7,600 / 2,244 / 5,356 / 7,443 / 157 / 2.1
Other activities without job search (c) / 9,415 / 4,984 / 4,431 / 9,562 / -147 / -1.5
Incapacitated (d) / 23,671 / 13,725 / 9,946 / 22,723 / 948 / 4.2
Other/temporary exemptions (e) / 13,113 / 7,464 / 5,649 / 12,807 / 306 / 2.4
Short-term NSA job seekers (f) / 148,296 / 97,344 / 50,952 / 150,979 / -2,683 / -1.8
Short-term NSA training/education (g) / 30,334 / 17,066 / 13,268 / 30,312 / 22 / 0.1
Long Term Newstart Allowees / 559,242 / 269,108 / 290,134 / 564,903 / -5,661 / -1.0
Did not receive a payment (a) / 20,988 / 8,693 / 12,295 / 23,275 / -2,287 / -9.8
Received a payment / 538,254 / 260,415 / 277,839 / 541,628 / -3,374 / -0.6
Voluntary/part-time work (b) / 71,383 / 16,408 / 54,975 / 70,620 / 763 / 1.1
Other activities without job search (c) / 60,254 / 29,045 / 31,209 / 59,805 / 449 / 0.8
Incapacitated (d) / 51,199 / 25,296 / 25,903 / 48,637 / 2,562 / 5.3
Other/temporary exemptions (e) / 49,880 / 22,902 / 26,978 / 50,513 / -633 / -1.3
Long-term NSA job seekers (f) / 305,538 / 166,764 / 138,774 / 312,053 / -6,515 / -2.1
Long-term NSA training/education (g) / 170,175 / 83,258 / 86,917 / 167,671 / 2,504 / 1.5
All Newstart Allowees / 773,675 / 401,825 / 371,850 / 781,118 / -7,443 / -1.0
Did not receive a payment (a) / 33,326 / 15,649 / 17,677 / 35,976 / -2,650 / -7.4
Received a payment / 740,349 / 386,176 / 354,173 / 745,142 / -4,793 / -0.6
Voluntary/part-time work (b) / 78,983 / 18,652 / 60,331 / 78,063 / 920 / 1.2
Other activities without job search (c) / 69,669 / 34,029 / 35,640 / 69,367 / 302 / 0.4
Incapacitated (d) / 74,870 / 39,021 / 35,849 / 71,360 / 3,510 / 4.9
Other/temporary exemptions (e) / 62,993 / 30,366 / 32,627 / 63,320 / -327 / -0.5
All NSA job seekers (f) / 453,834 / 264,108 / 189,726 / 463,032 / -9,198 / -2.0
All NSA training/education (g) / 200,509 / 100,324 / 100,185 / 197,983 / 2,526 / 1.3

(a)  Allowees who did not receive a payment due to their own income and/or that of their partner or parents, where applicable. This group is often referred to as zero-paid.

(b)  Allowees who are not required to seek work because they are undertaking approved full-time voluntary work or a combination of voluntary and part-time work.

(c)  Allowees who are undertaking one or more other activities (which may include training or education) but not job search. This includes allowees undertaking self-employment development.

(d)  Allowees who are temporarily ill or incapacitated.

(e)  Includes allowees who are known not to have participation requirements and allowees participating in Disability Management Services.

(f)  Allowees who received a payment and generally are required to search for work. These allowees are classified as job seekers and form the basis of the population group in Tables 4 - 7.

(g)  All allowees who are undertaking training or education which may be in conjunction with job search and/or other activities. This category is a subset of all allowees who received a payment.

Notes:

-  Long-term allowees have received income support for 12 months or more.

Table 3 - Youth Allowees (Other) - Derivation of the Job Seeker Population

Youth Allowance (other) / April 2016 Persons / April 2016 Males / April 2016 Females / March 2016 / Variation March - April Number / Variation March - April per cent
Short Term Youth Allowees / 40,126 / 22,205 / 17,921 / 39,486 / 640 / 1.6
Did not receive a payment (a) / 1,071 / 488 / 583 / 999 / 72 / 7.2
Received a payment / 39,055 / 21,717 / 17,338 / 38,487 / 568 / 1.5
Other activities without job search (b) / 3,351 / 1,977 / 1,374 / 2,437 / 914 / 37.5
Incapacitated (c) / 1,937 / 993 / 944 / 1,851 / 86 / 4.6
Other/temporary exemptions (d) / 1,613 / 772 / 841 / 1,639 / -26 / -1.6
Short-term YA (other) job seekers (e) / 32,154 / 17,975 / 14,179 / 32,560 / -406 / -1.2
Short-term YA (other) training/education (f) / 9,959 / 5,417 / 4,542 / 9,724 / 235 / 2.4
Long Term Youth Allowees / 58,200 / 29,706 / 28,494 / 60,456 / -2,256 / -3.7
Did not receive a payment (a) / 1,703 / 703 / 1,000 / 1,683 / 20 / 1.2
Received a payment / 56,497 / 29,003 / 27,494 / 58,773 / -2,276 / -3.9
Other activities without job search (b) / 7,011 / 3,847 / 3,164 / 6,188 / 823 / 13.3
Incapacitated (c) / 2,841 / 1,270 / 1,571 / 2,757 / 84 / 3.0
Other/temporary exemptions (d) / 2,540 / 1,084 / 1,456 / 2,633 / -93 / -3.5
Long-term YA (other) job seekers (e) / 44,105 / 22,802 / 21,303 / 47,195 / -3,090 / -6.5
Long-term YA (other) training/education (f) / 21,507 / 10,626 / 10,881 / 21,728 / -221 / -1.0
All Youth Allowees / 98,326 / 51,911 / 46,415 / 99,942 / -1,616 / -1.6
Did not receive a payment (a) / 2,774 / 1,191 / 1,583 / 2,682 / 92 / 3.4
Received a payment / 95,552 / 50,720 / 44,832 / 97,260 / -1,708 / -1.8
Other activities without job search (b) / 10,362 / 5,824 / 4,538 / 8,625 / 1,737 / 20.1
Incapacitated (c) / 4,778 / 2,263 / 2,515 / 4,608 / 170 / 3.7
Other/temporary exemptions (d) / 4,153 / 1,856 / 2,297 / 4,272 / -119 / -2.8
All YA (other) job seekers (e) / 76,259 / 40,777 / 35,482 / 79,755 / -3,496 / -4.4
All YA (other) training/education (f) / 31,466 / 16,043 / 15,423 / 31,452 / 14 / 0.0

(a)  Allowees who did not receive a payment due to their own income and/or that of their partner or parents, where applicable. This group is often referred to as zero-paid.