New Department for Work and Pensions benefits tool launched

A new way of accessing Department for Work and Pensions statistics has been launched. It will give far greater access to official Housing Benefit (Housing Benefit information sheet England, Scotland and Wales) (Housing Benefit information sheet Northern Ireland) figures, Minister for Welfare Reform Lord Freud announced.

The DWP Stat-Xplore website will provide statistics that are much clearer and easier to navigate – and it will allow users to explore many millions of data cells on Housing Benefit claimant numbers.

Key features

The new site:

• Lets users download tables and graphs, embed them into their own websites, and share statistics across social networks
• Allows greater comparison of official claims data by date, local authority, Parliamentary constituencies or regions and claim type
• Enables users to switch far more easily between different data groups, graphs and tables, as well as providing access to the source of materials.
• Will be expanded in the coming months to cover other benefits, eventually including Universal Credit and Personal Independence Payments, and allow users to create their own bespoke sets of data. 
  

Lord Freud's statement

Lord Freud said:

"Making data more open and accessible is not only about increasing Government accountability, it is about helping British business find opportunities for economic growth and investment

“The new website ensures more data are available and, importantly, that information is easy to navigate, interact with, and download, so people can get to grips with the statistics much more freely."

Browse the  Department for Work and Pensions Stat-Xplore website (link opens in a new window)    

Source: Department for Work and Pensions (link opens in a new window)

Also in the news

• Providers chosen for Department for Work and Pensions online identity scheme

Date of publication: 16 November 2012